[Pathological characteristics of gonads in nine patients with true hermaphroditism].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the gonadal histopathology of true hermaphroditism and its correlation with the clinical features.

METHODS

Clinico-pathological materials and chromosomal karyotypes from 9 true hermaphroditisms were reviewed.

RESULTS

Seven out of 9 patients aged 5-21 years had been raised as females, and the other two were raised as males. Ovotestis was the most common form of the abnormal gonads, 2 out of 9 patients had bilateral ovotestes, 7 had unilateral ovotestes (5 in right side, 2 in left side). In the 7 patients with unilateral ovotestis, 6 had a contralateral ovary and one had a contralateral testis. Microscopically, the ovarian tissue of 11 ovotestes, including 6 biopsies from contralateral ovaries were normal, with many primordial follicles and a few growing follicles. In two of the patients, aged over 15 years, evidence of ovulation was observed. In comparison, the testicular tissue of the ovotestis and one left inguinal testis was histologically abnormal. Two of the 9 patients conceived and delivered normal infants by cesarean section after surgical treatment.

CONCLUSION

Identification of the gonadal histopathology in these cases is important in order to make a correct scheme for the treatment.