Transverse Vaginal Septum Resection: Technique, Timing, and the Utility of Dilation. A Scoping Review of the Literature.

Abstract

Transverse vaginal septae (TVS) are congenital, obstructive anomalies of the vagina typically presenting with abdominal pain and amenorrhea. Currently, the literature about surgical management is sparse. Postoperative complications are common. Vaginal dilation either pre- or postoperatively is sometimes recommended, the outcomes of which are poorly described. The aim of this scoping review was to guide surgical planning, namely, timing and postoperative care, to improve surgical outcomes. This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute framework. The population of interest was patients 21 years of age or younger with a TVS. MEDLINE, OVID and CINAHL databases were searched using the subject headings listed herein. Literature written in English and French were included. Excluded were reports on patients with concurrent urogenital anomalies or severe developmental disabilities. The resultant articles were reviewed by 2 independent researchers. A third researcher was used in cases of disagreement. Using a descriptive analytical method, data were extracted from the included articles. We screened 1441 articles for eligibility; 41 articles met criteria, which described 152 cases of TVS. The most common management was simple vaginal excision. Five studies included outcomes from preoperative dilation, and 11 from postoperative dilation. There were 21 cases of postoperative vaginal stenosis; half (11/21) occurred without postoperative dilation. The goal of this review was to describe how TVS are managed and provide guidance for management options. Although the literature was sparse, the authors believe that management in a tertiary center, and surgical delay until the patient is ready to participate in vaginal dilation will improve outcomes for patients with TVS. Further prospective studies are needed to guide surgical planning.