Vaginectomy
Encyclopedia
Vaginectomy is a medical procedure to remove all or part of the vagina
. It is usually used as a treatment for vaginal cancer
. Vaginectomy is also used as part of some types of female-to-male sex reassignment surgery
.
An operation under which the whole vagina is removed is called a radical vaginectomy. If only the upper part of the vagina is removed then the operation is called a partial vaginectomy. Which process is best depends upon the severity of the case and the affected areas.
Usually after a radical vaginectomy, a plastic surgeon will perform a vaginal reconstruction (or vaginoplasty), using skin and muscle from other body parts, for aesthetic reasons.
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
. It is usually used as a treatment for vaginal cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Vaginectomy is also used as part of some types of female-to-male sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
.
Cancer
Vaginectomy can be divided into two kinds of operations.An operation under which the whole vagina is removed is called a radical vaginectomy. If only the upper part of the vagina is removed then the operation is called a partial vaginectomy. Which process is best depends upon the severity of the case and the affected areas.
Usually after a radical vaginectomy, a plastic surgeon will perform a vaginal reconstruction (or vaginoplasty), using skin and muscle from other body parts, for aesthetic reasons.