Patient's question:
What is a stone girl?Doctor's answer:
The term "stone girl" often refers to conditions such as hymenal atresia, transverse vaginal septum, congenital absence of the vagina, or vaginal atresia. In many cases, a female may have a vaginal opening below the urethral meatus, surrounded by a thin membrane tissue called the hymen. Under normal circumstances, the hymen has only one opening through which menstrual blood flows. If the hymen has many small holes, it becomes a sieve-like hymen, while if there are none, it results in hymenal atresia. If the uterus and vagina do not develop properly, after menarche, menstrual blood may accumulate in the vagina or uterus, leading to uterine hematoma. Excessive accumulation can also enter the abdominal cavity through the fallopian tubes. The peritoneum near the fimbriae of the fallopian tubes may become edematous and adhere due to stimulation from menstrual blood, causing the fimbriae to close and forming a hematoma involving the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes. Such individuals often delay menarche during puberty but experience monthly abdominal pain that worsens with each episode. Even after marriage, sexual intercourse may be impossible. This condition should be diagnosed early and treated promptly. The treatment is relatively simple—just incise the hymen to release the accumulated blood, and the problem is resolved. Generally, it does not affect marriage or fertility.There are also cases where "stone girls" have a transverse septum in the lower part of the vagina. If this septum has no hole, it can cause symptoms similar to hymenal atresia. If there is a small hole, it may lead to mild lower abdominal pain due to poor menstrual blood flow, which gradually worsens. Sexual intercourse may also be difficult after marriage. This transverse septum is often mistaken for hymenal atresia. Although the treatment is also surgical incision, the procedure is slightly more complex than hymenal atresia incision.
There are also "stone girls" who never experience menstruation and cannot engage in sexual intercourse after marriage. In such cases, it is necessary to investigate whether the condition is