Typically, the implanted tissue does not function normally as a muscle, which can lead to low enjoyment of sexual intercourse.
In a handful of cases, a woman with vaginal aplasia has received a successful vagina transplant donated by her mother.
[1] In each case, the medical research team began by taking a small sample of genital tissue from the teenager's vulva.
[8] The sample was used as a seed to grow additional tissue in the lab which was then placed in a vaginal shaped, biodegradable mold.
[8] Five to six weeks later, the structure was implanted into the patients, where the tissue continued to grow and connected with the girls' circulatory and other bodily systems.
"[8] Commentary published by the National Health Service (NHS) called the study "an important proof of concept" and said it showed that tissue engineering had "a great deal of potential.
"[1] However, the NHS also cautioned that the sample size was very small and further research was necessary to determine the general viability of the technique.