Man with male, female reproductive organs undergoes surgery in Hyderabad

A 40-year-old person from Mancherial was diagnosed with Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome, a rare condition, doctors said

Hyderabad: In a rare case, a person has been found with both male and female reproductive organs and doctors at KIMS Hospitals Secunderabad here performed laparoscopic surgery on him.

A 40-year-old person from Mancherial was diagnosed with Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome, a rare condition, doctors said. He was suffering from infertility and lower abdominal pain. Doctors said he had undescended testis. He appeared physically normal but harbored female internal reproductive organs like the uterus, fallopian tubes, and part of the vagina too.

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According to Consultant Urologist, Andrologist, Renal transplant, and Robotic surgeon Dr. YM Prashanth both male and female different reproductive organs will be present at the fetus stage and later with the effect of certain hormones, only one will be left.

So, by birth itself it’ll be decided whether it is a male or female baby. But, in very rare cases, due to the mutation of genes, hormones are not released sufficiently, the person will have both male and female reproductive organs. It is called Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome. Only 300 such cases are reported worldwide so far.

In India, there are only 20 cases till now. Such people look quite normal. They will have a beard and mustache. Penis will also look normal but as the testes don’t descend and sperm is not produced. Thus infertility issues arise. The doctor said in this case Testosterone, LH, FSH, and Prolactin hormones were normal but his testis is absent in the scrotum, and they are located intra-abdominally. After the tests, they decided to take up laparoscopic hysetro salpingectomy surgery. “In the process, we have dilated the uterus, a part of the vagina, fallopian tubes, and testes embedded in a broad ligament. We have also dilated the cyst attached to the prostate.

The patient was uneventful in the post-operative period, so discharged him on the third day. He was started on quarterly Testosterone replacement. “If he could come for the same procedure before the age of 18, he could have the chance of fertility. But now, he doesn’t have such a chance. Due to illiteracy, poverty, and social taboo, such people don’t visit proper medical facilities,” said Dr. Prasanth.