Healthcare / SCB Plastic Surgeons Achieve Milestone With Rare Corrective Surgery for Four Women

Kataka, Jul 23: The Plastic Surgery Department of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Kataka has achieved another milestone by successfully performing a rare reconstructive surgery on four women born with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH), a rare hormonal disorder that had caused them to develop male-like external genitalia. The complex procedures were carried out successfully by the department's specialist surgical team.

Four Women Undergo Rare Corrective Surgery
According to a source, all four patients were women diagnosed with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) from birth. Due to the condition, they had developed male-like external genitalia, despite being genetically female.

The Plastic Surgery Department successfully performed reconstructive procedures to correct the genital anomalies, marking a significant achievement in advanced reconstructive and gender-affirming surgical care at the state-run institution.

What Is Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia?
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia is a rare inherited disorder affecting the adrenal glands, which are located above the kidneys and produce hormones essential for growth, metabolism, stress response and sexual development.

In the most common form of the condition, the body lacks an enzyme required to produce adequate amounts of the hormones cortisol and, in some cases, aldosterone. To compensate, the adrenal glands produce excess androgen (male sex hormones).

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In female babies (XX chromosomes), this excess androgen exposure during pregnancy can cause the external genitalia to appear partially or fully masculinised, even though the internal reproductive organs, such as the uterus and ovaries, are typically normal. The condition does not change the person's genetic sex but affects physical development if left untreated.

Medical experts estimate that about one in every 5,000 to 10,000 newborns is affected by the disorder.