The use of laparoscopic technique to diagnose and treat intersex children is gradually
introduced in clinical urology. From 1985 to 1996, abdominal exploration and gonadectomy
were performed in 11 intersex children together with urogenital endoscopy and
genitoplastic surgery in our institutes. Their median age was 6.0 (range 0–15) years old
and initial gender sex was female in 8 and male in 3. The initial 4 cases (group 1)
underwent open abdominal exploration together with gonadectomy, while the latter 7
cases (group 2) underwent laparoscopic exploration simultaneously with 3 laparoscopic
gonadectomy and 1 open one via a inguinal incision. Their final diagnoses were male
pseudohermaphroditism in 4 cases, mixed gonadal dysgenesis in 3, true hermaphroditism
in 2, XX gonadal dysgenesis in 1, and XY gonadal dysgenesis in 1. Consequently, 2 of
initial male were reared as a female. Operation time, use of analgesics, postoperative
hospital stay and postoperative complications were not significantly different between the
two groups, however, postoperative abdominal wound appearance was more acceptable
in group 2. The most significant advantage of laparoscopic surgery in intersex children
is cosmetic appearance especially when social gender is determined as female irrespective
types of intersexuality.
Experience of Laparoscopic Exploration and Gonadectomy in lntersex Children
