Double Vagina.
Among the congenital deformities occasionally met with is a vagina divided by a longitudinal septum, constituting a duplex or double vagina. The septum is not always so situated as to make the passages of equal size, nor does it invariably divide the canal through its entire length. It is stated by most writers on the subject that usually with a double vagina there will also be a double uterus. The author has met with only two cases of duplex vagina, neither of which was associated with a double uterus. The treatment is of necessity surgical, and consists in dividing the partition with scissors, and inserting a tampon with some styptic or a Sims's dilator for the arrest of the bleeding which invariably occurs from cutting operations in the vagina. If there is persistent hemorrhage, a galvano- or thermo-cautery may be used.
Growths in the Vagina.
New formations of any kind are not of frequent occurrence in this locality. They consist almost exclusively of cystic tumors, fibroid tumors, papillary excrescences or vegetations, sarcomata, epithelioma, and carcinoma.
Cystic Tumors of the Vagina
are sometimes observed, but are by no means common. Their origin and nature has not seemed to be well understood. Hugier and Guérin are of the opinion that they are caused by the mucous follicles being obstructed. In this view they are sustained by Preuschen.7
7 "Die Cysten die Vagina," Centralblatt für Med., 1871, p. 775.
Sinéty remarks that there are two varieties of vaginal cysts—one superficial and the other profound. The superficial are developed in the mucous membrane, are small in size, and contain fluid which is watery or clear and glairy. The profound cysts are developed in the vaginal walls, and are of various dimensions, from the size of a walnut to an orange, and capable of attaining to much greater dimensions than is possible for the superficial variety. Their contents vary greatly; sometimes clear, mucous, and ropy, in other cases they are colored brownish or chocolate.
Cysts of the vagina are not to be confounded with those of the vulva or those which develop in the vulvo-vaginal glands, nor are they as common.
TREATMENT.—Cysts of the vagina can often be cured by laying them freely open with a bistoury and wiping out the cavity with tincture of iodine, carbolic acid, or a solution of nitrate of silver. The tincture of iodine preferred by the author is Churchill's or a saturation tincture, either being much more effective than the simple tincture. Nitric acid and the actual cautery are mentioned by Barnes as having been used for destroying vaginal cysts. Entire removal of these formations can be effected by cutting into or through the mucous membrane and dissecting them out in the same manner as they are removed from other localities.