Lab-grown vaginas successfully implanted

Conclusion This small case series reports the apparent success of using tissue engineering techniques to develop a vagina for reconstruction in four teenage girls who had an absent vagina from birth. All of these girls had the rare condition Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS), where the vagina and uterus do not develop properly. The technique used tissue samples biopsied from the girls' own vulva, which were then developed in the laboratory to make a 3D structure for reconstruction. It was hoped that by using this approach they might avoid some of the problems seen with the various types of graft tissue previously used, including abnormal muscle function. Over up to eight years' follow-up, the reconstructed vaginas did seem to have a similar structure to normal vaginal tissue. The girls and women reported normal sexual function without unexpected adverse effects or complications. This study only reports on a very small sample of four girls with this condition. Further use of this technique is needed to see if the same successful results are replicated. With that limitation in mind, this study – as well as the related study about nostril reconstruction – suggests that tissue engineering is an avenue of research with a great deal of potential. Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter. Join the Healthy Evidence forum. Links To The Headlines Doctors implant lab-grown vagina. BBC News, April 11 2014 Lab-grown vaginas p...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice Source Type: news