Project Description:
Vaginal reconstructive surgery in pediatric and adolescent patients is a relatively rare but critically important procedure, typically performed for congenital anomalies. In the surgery, a vaginal canal is created or reconstructed using native tissues or grafts. Vaginal stents are used to maintain the patency and shape of the canal during the post-operative healing period, which can last several weeks to several months. Current practice often relies on makeshift, condom-based stents, which present challenges in hygiene, stability, and patient comfort. To address these limitations, this project developed a novel, tear-drop shaped vaginal stent with a compression feature, engineered using a 16 French catheter layered with Coban wrap, pre-wrap foam, hydrocolloid, and a parafilm outer seal to balance structural support, flexibility, and biocompatibility. Mechanical testing demonstrated an average retention force of 7.85 N ± 0.98 N, indicating improved resistance to dislodgement compared to control stents simulating the current standard of care. Clinically, our new stent design improves stability and the material design has the potential to reduce complications such as pain, malodor, and worsening vaginal stenosis, thereby improving patient comfort and healing outcomes. At the same time, the use of vaginal stents in pediatric populations raises important ethical considerations, as patients and their families may experience significant emotional distress alongside physical burden, impacting overall quality of life. Overall, this women’s health project aims to provide a low-cost solution to a complex problem that will improve awareness and accessibility for these vital procedures.
