The Safe Labiaplasty: A Study of Labia Minora Nerve Density and Its Implications

Friday, April 25, 2014: 11:25 AM
S. Sean Kelishadi, MD, John Paul Tutela, MD, Virginia Bush, MSIV, Ronald Brooks, MD, Saeed Chowdhry, M.D., David Yonick, MD, Joshua Choo, MD and Bradon Wilhelmi, MD, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

Goals/Purpose:

Surgical techniques to alleviate labia minora hypertrophy are gaining popularity.  An anatomic study identifying the nerve density distribution of the labia minora was performed; this knowledge provides unique insight in performing labiaplasty and helping preserve sensation.

Methods/Technique:

Four fresh tissue cadaver labia minora samples were analyzed.  Each labia minora was divided into 6 anatomic areas as follows: superior outer, superior middle, superior inner, inferior outer, inferior middle, and inferior inner.  Histologic analysis was performed with hematoxylin and eosin stains and nerve bundles confirmed with S100 staining.  Nerve densities for each anatomic area were measured as a percentage of the total nerves identified for each specimen.

Results/Complications:

Please see attached results pic

Conclusion:

Innervation to the labia minora appears to be present throughout its anatomy.  However, the superior outer and superior middle anatomic areas show a trend towards greater nerve density.  Preservation of these anatomic areas when performing labiaplasty could decrease the incidence of potential paresthesias.

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