Surgical techniques: defibulation of Type III female genital cutting.

Female genital cutting (FGC) is a tradition practiced in parts of Africa, Middle East and Asia. Type III FGC, also known as infibulation, involves removing part or all of the external genitalia, generally, the prepuce, clitoris, labia minora, and majora. The remnant raw surfaces are sutured together (infibulated) using catgut sutures, thorns, or other adhesive concoctions to cover the urethra and most of the vagina. A stick is introduced in the posterior incision to guarantee a small opening (neo-introitus) for the passage of urine and menses. The girl’s legs are bound together for 1–2 weeks on bed rest with minimal oral intake to minimize urination and defecation in order to facilitate wound healing. Women who have undergone FGC can suffer immediate and long-term complications. Immediate complications include bleeding, hemorrhage, infection, sepsis, and death. Long-term complications include dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, infertility, chronic vaginal, and urinary tract infections. Pre-op