Gynaecology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Gynaecology, including details on pap smears, laparoscopy, ultrasound, hysteroscopy.

A Gender Assessment Team: experience with 250 patients over a period of 25 years.

Parisi MA, Ramsdell LA, Burns MW, Carr MC, Grady RE, Gunther DF, Kletter GB, McCauley E, Mitchell ME, Opheim KE, Pihoker C, Richards GE, Soules MR, Pagon RA

From 1Childrenʼs Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, Washington; 2University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; 3Swedish Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, Washington; 4Childrenʼs Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 5Childrenʼs Corporate Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 6Seattle Reproductive Medicine, Seattle, Washington.

PURPOSE:: To describe a Gender Assessment Team that has provided a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment, genetic counseling, and psychosocial support of patients with ambiguous genitalia, intersex disorders, and other genital anomalies, collectively termed disorders of sex development; and to determine the major diagnostic categories and approach. METHODS:: A retrospective review of 250 patients evaluated by the Team at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, WA, from January 1981 through December 2005. The Team included the following specialties: medical genetics, cytogenetics, gynecology, pediatric urology, endocrinology, and psychiatry. RESULTS:: Of the subjects, 177 were infants, 46 were children or adolescents, and 27 had a multisystem genetic condition. The most common diagnoses were congenital adrenal hyperplasia (14%), androgen insensitivity syndrome (10%), mixed gonadal dysgenesis (8%), clitoral/labial anomalies (7%), hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (6%), and 46,XY small-for-gestational-age males with hypospadias (6%). CONCLUSION:: The six most common diagnoses comprised 50% of the cohort. The expertise of a multidisciplinary team allowed for integrated care for patients with disorders of sex development and identification of novel conditions. Geneticists play an important role in a team approach through knowledge of genetic testing options and diagnosis of patients with karyotypic abnormalities and syndromes with genital anomalies.

Published 18 June 2007 in Genet Med, 9(6): 348-357.
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