Hematocolpos is a medical condition in which the

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

is pooled with menstrual blood due to multiple factors leading to the blockage of menstrual blood flow. The medical definition of hematocolpos is'' 'an accumulation of blood within the vagina'''. It is often caused by the combination of

menstruation Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized by the rise and fall of hor ...

with an imperforate hymen. It is sometimes seen in Robinow syndrome, uterus didelphys, or other

vaginal anomalies Vaginal anomalies are abnormal structures that are formed (or not formed) during the prenatal development of the female reproductive system and are rare congenital defects that result in an abnormal or absent vagina. When present, they are often f ...

. A related disorder is

hematometra Hematometra is a medical condition involving collection or retention of blood in the uterus. It is most commonly caused by an imperforate hymen or a transverse vaginal septum. Signs and symptoms Hematometra typically presents as cyclic, cramping p ...

, where the

uterus The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The uter ...

fills with menstrual blood. It presents after

puberty Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy. ...

as primary amenorrhoea, recurrent pelvic pain with a pelvic mass. This can be caused by a congenital

stenosis A stenosis (from Ancient Greek στενός, "narrow") is an abnormal narrowing in a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure such as foramina and canals. It is also sometimes called a stricture (as in urethral stricture). ''Stricture'' ...

of the

cervix The cervix or cervix uteri (Latin, 'neck of the uterus') is the lower part of the uterus (womb) in the human female reproductive system. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes during ...

, or by a complication of a surgical treatment.

Mucometrocolpos Mucometrocolpos is the abnormal accumulation of genital secretions (mucous) that occurs as a result of an imperforate hymen and the build up of these secretions behind the hymen. The secretions originate from uterine and cervical glands. It is a rar ...

is the accumulation of mucous secretions behind an imperforate hymen.

can sometimes cause abdominal distention.

Symptoms

*On and off lower

abdominal pain Abdominal pain, also known as a stomach ache, is a symptom Signs and symptoms are the observed or detectable signs, and experienced symptoms of an illness, injury, or condition. A sign for example may be a higher or lower temperature than ...

lasting more than a week * Pain with cramping, with episodes of worse pain in between *

Vomiting Vomiting (also known as emesis and throwing up) is the involuntary, forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the Human nose, nose. Vomiting can be the result of ailments like Food-poisoning, foo ...

without

blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the c ...

bile Bile (from Latin ''bilis''), or gall, is a dark-green-to-yellowish-brown fluid produced by the liver of most vertebrates that aids the digestion of lipids in the small intestine. In humans, bile is produced continuously by the liver (liver bile ...

* Abdominal bloating and distention *

Constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the bowel movement ...

and changes in

urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excretion, excreted from the body through the urethra. Cel ...

output * Tender

breast The breast is one of two prominences located on the upper ventral region of a primate's torso. Both females and males develop breasts from the same embryological tissues. In females, it serves as the mammary gland, which produces and secret ...

s *

Vaginal In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hyme ...

bleeding or

discharge Discharge may refer to Expel or let go * Discharge, the act of firing a gun * Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer * Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...

*Severe cyclic pelvic pain *Urinary retention

Causes

There are four possible causes of hematocolpos * Imperforate hymen: An imperforate hymen is a medical condition where the female is born with a hymen that spans the entire diameter of the vagina, with no opening to the outside. An imperforate hymen may be diagnosed at any age. However, when a girl hits puberty, this type of hymen blocks the blood from flowing out and the bloods pools in the vagina. This may cause a sensation of 'mass' or fullness in the lower abdomen, pain in the stomach and back, along with problems with urinating and bowel movements. Chemical exposure of the vaginal epithelia may lead to tissue damage (up to and including necrosis) and swelling (edema). The edematous blockage of the vagina results in identical symptomatology as the imperforate hymen. *

Cervical atresia Asherman's syndrome (AS) is an acquired uterine condition that occurs when scar tissue (adhesions) forms inside the uterus and/or the cervix. It is characterized by variable scarring inside the uterine cavity, where in many cases the front and bac ...

is a relatively rare Mullerian duct anomaly of the female reproductive tract. It is associated with acute or chronic pain in the abdomen or pelvic pain along with other reproductive problems. A significant share of the women with cervical atresia have it since birth, that is, congenital cervical atresia. However, Cervical Atresia is distinct from other Mullerian duct anomalies. * Vaginal atresia: Vaginal atresia is another congenital defect which results in the uterovaginal outflow tract obstruction. it occurs when the caudal portion of the vagina fails to form and is rather replaced with fibrous tissues only. Vaginal atresia has three basic categories of anomalies- vaginal agenesis, ambiguous genitalia, and imperforate anus and urogenital sinus variants. The different features associated with an ambiguous genitalia which might eventually lead to a blockage of menstrual blood flow are: i) Rugal folds over the labia ii) Mass in an apparent labium iii) Excess clitoral tissue. Due to these anomalies, there are chances that the menstrual blood would not be able to flow out of the vagina, eventually leading to hematocolpos. * 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 A hymenotomy is a medical procedure involving the surgery, surgical removal or opening of the hymen. It is often performed on patients with an imperforate hymen, imperforate or Hymen#Anatomic variations, septate hymen, or other situations where th ...

or other surgery to remove any tissue that blocks the menstrual flow. Also, post surgery, the patient is required to insert dilators into the vagina for a few minutes each day for a few days post the surgery to avoid the incision being closed on its own. Once the patient has recovered from the surgery- that is, there are no burning sensation around the vaginal, they can have regular periods, normal sexual intercourse. Unlike an imperforate hymen which can be easily corrected, surgical correction of a transverse septum can be difficult if the surgery is not carefully planned. Postoperative complications, such as vaginal stenosis and re-obstruction can occur, especially when the septum is thick. The thickness and location of the septum is most commonly evaluated by transperineal ultrasound or MRI before attempting its resectio

References

External links

{{Female diseases of the pelvis and genitals, state=collapsed Gynaecologic disorders Menstrual disorders