OBJECTIVE:

To describe the clinical characterization, medical and surgical management of cases of postcoital laceration and to propose a management protocol to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Retrospective case series study of patients diagnosed with post-coital vaginal laceration seen in two rural hospitals between 2017 and 2022.

RESULTS:

We found 6 patients admitted to the emergency department with a diagnosis of postcoital vaginal laceration. All underwent surgical intervention following the injury. The median age of the patients was 29.5 years (range 19 to 68 years). Three of the patients were nulligestas and the same number reported having sexual intercourse for the first time, 2 patients had a regular partner and 2 had a new partner. The median time from intercourse to treatment was 2 hours (range 1 and 3 hours). Only 2 patients required a globule pack transfusion. The site of laceration was the posterior vaginal fornix in 3 of 6 cases; no deaths were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS:

Postcoital laceration is a rare emergency that may be complicated by excessive blood loss, which is increased if there is a delay in seeking care and diagnosis. For a favourable outcome, treatment should be immediate surgery based on a standardised protocol.

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