Unusual case of vaginal stenosis in an adolescent girl

Abstract

Foreign body insertion into the vagina has been described across all ages. The presenting symptoms may be persistent vaginal discharge, chronic pelvic pain, post menopausal bleeding. Foreign body as a differential diagnosis is rarely thought of with the above presentations and remains a diagnostic challenge.An unusual case of a foreign body causing vagina l stenosis, haematocolpos and inflammatory adnexal masses leading to diagnostic confusion and difficult surgery is presented.An eighteen year old unmarried woman with chronic pelvic pain of 3 years duration was diagnosed to have bilateral adnexal masses on pelvic USG. On suspicion of genital tuberculosis she received a course of anti tuberculosis treatment with no symptomatic relief or decrease in size of the adnexal mass. A second sonogram four months later suggested presence of vaginal /cervical foreign body surrounded by fluid (haematocolpos?) and she was referred to a gynaecologist. An MRI confirmed the findings. As examination showed what was presumed to be a transverse vaginal septum the patient was posted for examination under anaesthesia. There were dense vaginal adhesions and as the haematocolpos could not be accessed from below a laparotomy was performed, the vagina opened from above and after draining 300ml of chocolate colored fluid a bottle cap was retrieved. The stenosed vagina was successfully opened by vaginal dissection by abdomino-vaginal approach. This case is an unusual presentation of a foreign body causing vaginal stenosis and causing much diagnostic dilemma and difficult surgery.