Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Vaginectomy
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Vaginectomy is a medical procedure to remove all or part of the vagina. It is usually used as a treatment for vaginal cancer. Vaginectomy is also used as part of some types of female-to-male sex reassignment surgery.
Cancer
Cancer
Vaginectomy can be divided into two kinds of operations.
An operation under which the whole vagina is removed is called a radical vaginectomy. If only the upper part of the vagina is removed then the operation is called a partial vaginectomy. The doctor will decide depending the severity of the case and the affected areas.
Usually after a radical vaginoplasty a plastic surgeon will perform a vaginal reconstruction, using skin and muscle from other body parts, for aesthetic reasons.