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Elkhatib. Plast Aesthet Res 2016;3:359-63 Plastic and
DOI: 10.20517/2347-9264.2016.41
Aesthetic Research

www.parjournal.net
Original Article Open Access

The extended running W-plasty: an

additional tool for simultaneous reduction

of the hypertrophied labia minora and

redundant clitoral hood

Hamdy A. Elkhatib

Plastic and Hand Surgery Department, Alkhor Hospital, Doha 00974, Qatar.
Correspondence to: Dr. Hamdy A. Elkhatib, Plastic and Hand Surgery Department, Alkhor Hospital, B.O. 3050, Doha 00974, Qatar.
E-mail: hamdya24@yahoo.com
How to cite this article: Elkhatib HA. The extended running W-plasty: an additional tool for simultaneous reduction of the hypertrophied labia
minora and redundant clitorial hood. Plast Aesthet Res 2016;3:359-63.
ABSTRACT

Article history: Aim: The extended running W-plasty technique using the W-plasty principle is a modification
Received: 28-05-2016 of the conventional technique. The use of this technique was utilized for simultaneous
Accepted: 27-10-2016 reduction of the protuberant labia minora and the redundant clitoris. Methods: Twenty-three
Published: 22-11-2016 patients presented to the plastic surgery clinic between 2008 and 2015 with the complaints
of protuberant and enlarged labia minora in conjunction with a hypertrophied clitorial hood.
Key words: The extended running W-plasty was performed in all patients. Surgery was performed under
Extended W-plasty, general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure with a range of operative time from 30-45 min. The
labia minora, Likert scale was used to evaluate outcomes. Results: Patients maintained labial length with
clitoral hood reduction decreased scarring. Small hematomas occurred in 2 patients and were treated conservatively.
One case of wound dehiscence occurred and was also treated conservatively. Patients returned
to normal activity 5-7 days postoperatively. The cosmetic outcome of all patients was very
satisfactory. Conclusion: The running W-plasty technique is ideal for closure of secondary
defects following excision of both the redundant labia minora and clitoral hood, while
maintaining length and providing tensionless scars. The technique conserves the original
tissues while avoiding over- or under- resection of the labia.

[1]
INTRODUCTION change the size of the labia minora. Congenital
[2]
hypertrophy of the labia minora has also been reported.
[3]
Repeated tearing and stretching caused by childbirth, Maas and Hage reported the use of a W-shaped
aging, and sexual intercourse, in addition to congenital resection of the protuberant labia minora in 13 patients.
defects such as vaginal atresia and Müllerian agenesis, Later, Solanki et al. applied the same technique to 12
[4]
and gender switching play a role in the request to patients. Both groups of authors noted that the running
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