Ambiguous genitalia in children

ABSTRACT

Management of patients with ambiguous genitalia is a challenging problem. This has very rightly been described as a psychosocial emergency. Our social circumstances and diagnostic deficiencies pose problems in the management of such children. One cannot diagnose and manage such cases without basic knowledge of events of determination of sex and factors controlling gondal development. It is important to have an early diagnosis, proper gender assignment and necessary treatment for better results. 1. To evaluate children presenting with ambiguous genitalia. 2. To see the proportion of various types of pseudohermaphrodism. 3. To highlight various management problems. 4. To discuss the results of management. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Pediatric surgery department of Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad and Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur. PERIOD 1990 to 1998. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ambiguous genitalia total number 48. There were 38[79%] cases of male pseudohermaphroditism, 6[13%] cases of female pseudohermaphroditisrn, 2[4%] cases had mixed gondal dysgnesis and 1[2%] had true hermaphroditism. In one[2%] case there was neurofibromatosis involving vulva and clitoris