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Vaginal postcoital injuries requiring surgical intervention: a case series and literature review

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 33, pages 110–117 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

This case series describes clinical features and management of women who required surgical repair of vaginal injuries following consensual intercourse in our institution during the last decade. As a secondary aim, we reviewed the literature on the topic. We searched our institution’s database for procedures coded as “Suture of Vagina,” excluding trauma not related to consensual sexual activity: between January 2008 and December 2017, 20 women underwent hemostatic suturing for vaginal injuries following intercourse. Mean age was 27.6 ± 12.5 (range, 16–63) years, 5 (25%) women were parous, 13 (65%) women used no contraception, and 1 (5%) used birth control pills. Three patients (15%) were postmenopausal. Eight injuries (40%) occurred following first-time intercourse, two (10%) occurred after intercourse with a new partner. Median time from bleeding onset to admission was 12 (range, 2–24) h. One patient (5%) was hemodynamically unstable and required treatment with packed cells. Median time from admission to surgery was 56 (range, 15–540) min. The laceration site was identified at the vaginal fornix in nine (45%) patients, at mid-vagina in four (20%), at the hymenal ring, or the posterior fourchette in six (30%). Tear of a longitudinal vaginal septum was identified in one patient (5%). To conclude, vaginal postcoital injuries are a rare occurrence, nevertheless they may involve significant blood loss and therefore require prompt evaluation and treatment. Once the patient is hemodynamically stable, psychosexual assessment and support should be offered to the patient and her partner.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yitzhak Shamir (formerly Assaf Harofe) Medical Center, Affiliated to the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Anna Padoa, Anna Tsviban & Noam Smorgick

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assuta Ashdod Medical Center, Affiliated to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Noa Glick Fishman

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  1. Anna Padoa
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  2. Noa Glick Fishman
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Correspondence to Anna Padoa.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Ethical approval for the study was granted by the local Helsinky Committee.

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Padoa, A., Glick Fishman, N., Tsviban, A. et al. Vaginal postcoital injuries requiring surgical intervention: a case series and literature review. Int J Impot Res 33, 110–117 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-0234-8

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