Transverse vaginal septum: A transverse vaginal septum is another medical condition whereby an extra horizontal wall of tissue that has formed during embryological development creates a blockage in the vagina. Transverse vaginal septa are relatively rare anomalies, occurring in about 1 in 70,000 girls. The diagnosis can be made at various ages, from neonates presenting with hydrocolpos to young women presenting with primary amenorrhea and pelvic pain due to the development of hematocolpos. Often, women might have a normal hymeneal opening but this wall of tissue might be blocking the access to the vaginal canal. A small opening in the septum called the fenestration allows the menstrual blood to flow out of the vagina. However, it takes longer than the usual menstrual cycle. For the women who do not have a fenestration, blood will pool in the upper vagina and this would lead to serious abdominal pain. This also results in infertility. Treatment
As the causes for Hematocolpos are diverse, there are different surgical treatments which needs to be undertaken to cure it. Surgical interventions for congenital cervical atresia range from complete hysterectomy with canalization to conservative options, such as uterine cavity catheterization.For the women who have an imperforate hymen, a minor surgery is required incising the extra hymen membrane. It is generally treated surgically, with a hymenotomy or other surgery to remove any tissue that blocks the menstrual flow.
Hereditary xerocytosis occurs more commonly in African populations, and it exhibits complex interactions with other hereditary alterations of red blood cells, including sickle cell disease and malaria resistance.Osmosis leads to the red blood cell having a constant tendency to swell and burst. This tendency is countered by manipulating the flow of sodium and potassium ions. A pump forces sodium out of the cell and potassium in, and this action is balanced by a process called the passive leak. In overhydrated hereditary stomatocytoses, the passive leak is increased and the erythrocyte becomes swamped with salt and water. The affected erythrocytes have increased osmotic fragility. Haemolytic anaemia results. For as yet unknown reasons, the cells take on the shape of a cup, with a mouth-shaped (stoma) area of central pallor. Overhydrated hereditary stomatocytosis is frequently linked to mutations in genes that encode components of the band 3 complex, such as RHAG. It is the altered band 3 protein complex which mediates the cation leaks that are characteristic of hydrocytotic hereditary stomatocytosis.Rare cases of hereditary spherocytosis can occur without cation leaks. These include cases of phytosterolemia nonleaky stomatocytosis, a disorder of lipid metabolism associated with mutations in ABCG5 and/or ABCG8, which encode sterol transporters. The resulting abnormal sterol composition of erythrocyte cell membranes causes them to appear as deformed stomatocytes on peripheral blood smear. Diagnosis
Ektacytometry may be helpful in distinguishing different subtypes of hereditary stomatocytosis. Variants
Haematologists have identified a number of variants. These can be classified as below.