Cytology of the ‘penile’ neovagina in transsexual women

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to describe the neovaginal cytology in transsexual patients (n = 50) treated with the inverted penile skin technique. Secondary objectives were to compare our cytological findings with patient characteristics including use of oestrogens, sexual orientation and penetrative intercourse. METHODS: The medical and surgical history, sexual orientation and whether there was a current relationship were ascertained. A speculum examination was followed by microscopy of a Pap smear of the neovaginal vault. RESULTS: Well-preserved nucleated squamous cells were found in 72%. The correlation between their presence and sexual orientation was highly significant (P = 0.016), with those not sexually interested and homosexually oriented all having nucleated cells on the Pap smear. However, the correlation between these cells and penetrative intercourse failed to reach significance. Four samples showed atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, all were negative for high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) types. One patient showed a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion that was HR-HPV positive. There was a significant correlation between the presence of cytological lesions and sexual orientation (P = 0.006). Four percentage of the specimens showed Döderlein bacilli. Inflammation was found in 30.6% of samples with squamous cells. CONCLUSIONS: The penile skin-lined neovagina of transsexual women can reflect the cytological findings present in biological women. However 'normal' cervical cytology, with superficial, intermediate and parabasal cells as well as Döderlein bacilli, was found in only 4% of transsexual women. Although one patient's Pap test showed koilocytes and was HR-HPV positive, no high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions were identified.