Nerve Sparing Ventral Clitoroplasty Preserves Dorsal Nerves in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Purpose

Masculinization of the female genitalia observed in patients with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia often results in clitorimegaly. Reduction clitoroplasty is the most widely practiced corrective surgery for clitorimegaly, yet reservations about surgical intervention exist based on fears of nerve destruction during surgical removal of excess erectile tissue. In this study, we modified the reduction clitoroplasty and examined excised erectile tissue for the presence of dorsal nerves.

Materials and Methods

We describe the development of the nerve sparing ventral clitoroplasty. Nerves were examined in situ using optical coherence technology. In addition, erectile tissue removed from 27 female patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia was examined immunohistochemically for the presence of nerves by staining for neurofilament. Nerves outside of the tunica albuginea were counted and measured. Tissue from 2 adult females was also examined by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Optical coherence technology visualized dorsal nerves in 3 patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (size 600 to 800 μm). In 4 of 27 patients undergoing nerve sparing ventral clitoroplasty, no dorsal nerve branches were visualized in excised erectile tissue. In another 18 patients 10 or fewer nerve branches were found. In patients who underwent nerve sparing ventral clitoroplasty 92% of dorsal nerves detected were 90 μm or less. In contrast, 88% of dorsal nerves found in the 2 adult specimens were 120 μm or greater. The maximum nerve fiber size observed in patient specimens was significantly smaller than the maximum nerve fiber size observed in control specimens.

Conclusions

Scarcity of large dorsal nerves in histological specimens excised using nerve sparing ventral clitoroplasty likely reflects their preservation within the congenital adrenal hyperplasia patients. This preservation is vital to future somatosensory and motor function of the clitoris.

Key Words: adrenal hyperplasia, congenital, virilism, clitoris, immunohistochemistry, abnormalities

Abbreviations and Acronyms: CAH, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, NSVC, nerve sparing ventral clitoroplasty, NVB, neurovascular bundle, OCT, optical coherence technology