Gynecologic complication of chronic graft-versus-host disease: Vaginal obstruction

Obstet Gynecol Sci. 2013 Jul;56(4):277-80. doi: 10.5468/ogs.2013.56.4.277. Epub 2013 Jul 15.

Abstract

Allogenic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (Allo-PBSCT) is being used to treat hematological malignancies with increasing frequency. Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a complex complication of PBSCT. A 43-year-old woman came to the gynecology clinic for amenorrhea. She had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia 2 years earlier and treated with induction and consolidation chemotherapy. After developing complete remission, she underwent Allo-PBSCT. When she started chemotherapy, her menstrual cycle completely disappeared. Fourteen months after menopausal hormone replacement therapy, it was discovered that her upper vaginal canal was completely obstructed. The lower vagina had an atrophic appearance. We report a rare case of partial vaginal obstruction as a complication of chronic GvHD and review the literature. We expect that this case report provides an opportunity to remind clinician of the gynecologic complications of GvHD.

Keywords: Graft vs host disease; Hematocolpos; Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation; Vagina.

Publication types

  • Case Reports