@article{ref1,
title="Healing of Hymenal Injuries in Prepubertal and Adolescent Girls: A Descriptive Study",
journal="Pediatrics",
year="2007",
author="McCann, J. and Miyamoto, S. and Boyle, Cathy and Rogers, Kellie",
volume="119",
number="5",
pages="e1094-e110",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify the healing process and outcome of hymenal injuries in prepubertal and adolescent girls. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective project used photographs to document the healing process and outcome of hymenal trauma that was sustained by 239 prepubertal and pubertal girls whose ages ranged from 4 months to 18 years. RESULTS: The injuries that were sustained by the 113 prepubertal girls consisted of 21 accidental or noninflicted injuries, 73 secondary to abuse, and 19 &quot;unknown cause&quot; injuries. All 126 pubertal adolescents were sexual assault victims. The hymenal injuries healed at various rates and except for the deeper lacerations left no evidence of the previous trauma. Abrasions and &quot;mild&quot; submucosal hemorrhages disappeared within 3 to 4 days, whereas &quot;marked&quot; hemorrhages persisted for 11 to 15 days. Only petechiae and blood blisters proved to be &quot;markers&quot; for determining the approximate age of an injury. Petechiae resolved within 48 hours in the prepubertal girls and 72 hours in the adolescents. A blood blister was detected at 34 days in an adolescent. As lacerations healed, their observed depth became shallower and their configuration smoothed out. Of the girls who sustained &quot;superficial,&quot; &quot;intermediate,&quot; or &quot;deep&quot; lacerations, 15 of 18 prepubertal girls had smooth and continuous appearing hymenal rims, whereas 24 of 41 adolescents' hymens had a normal, &quot;scalloped&quot; appearance and 30 of 34 had no disruption of continuity on healing. The final &quot;width&quot; of a hymenal rim was dependent on the initial depth of the laceration. No scar tissue formation was observed in either group of girls. CONCLUSIONS: The hymenal injuries healed rapidly and except for the more extensive lacerations left no evidence of a previous injury. There were no significant differences in the healing process and the outcome of the hymenal injuries in the 2 groups of girls.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0031-4005",
doi="10.1542/peds.2006-0964",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-0964"
}