Pediatric buccal mucosa vaginoplasty

What is a pediatric buccal mucosa vaginoplasty procedure?

In females with an absent or inadequate vagina, several surgeries have been developed to create or improve the vagina.

Buccal mucosa is the lining on the inner part of the cheeks. This tissue can be harvested and a vagina can be created with it. The inner lining of the cheek usually heals quickly without any visible scars and only rare complications.

What are the benefits of a pediatric buccal mucosa vaginoplasty procedure?

• Using buccal mucosa over skin grafts is that buccal mucosa has similar natural lubrication to normal vaginal tissue and the use of buccal mucosa does not leave any visible scars while use of skin graft leaves a large scar.   

• Using buccal mucosa over bowel are that buccal mucosa does not have overproduction of mucous, problems with prolapsed tissue out of the vagina, and does not require invasive bowel surgery.