The vacuum expandable condom mold: A simple vaginal stent for McIndoe-style vaginoplasty

A new vaginal stent for application with the McIndoe vaginal reconstruction technique (using full-thickness skin grafts, as suggested by Burian) is presented. The advantages of this stent over previously described stents are as follows: the stent is soft and comfortable and does not have the attendant risk of pressure necrosis with potential bowel or bladder damage that has been noted with rigid stents; the materials are relatively inexpensive (under $30), presterilized, and can be easily constructed from existing materials widely available in most operating rooms; the size of the stent is easily customized to the patient's characteristics; the material does not fragment as some other materials previously described; and, most importantly, the volume reduction capability of the stent during skin graft application, stent insertion into the vaginal space, and stent removal has been found to be a great advantage with this stent technique. Finally, unlike other previously described stents, this one does not require the purchase of an expensive, ready-made device from a manufacturer (approximately $750 from Polytech Silimed, Dieburg, Germany). We have reconstructed a neovagina for three patients during the past 1.5 years using this technique. Graft uptake was almost 100 percent in all cases. Washing and drainage of the cutaneous cuff were not necessary for graft uptake or wound healing. There has been no evidence of contracture formation in any patient. We are happy to report that, at 1.5 years since having the procedure, the first patient is successfully able to have sexual intercourse.