The bulge contained both a testicle as well as female genitalia, shocking doctors who treated the ‘hernia” of a father-of-3.
He was born with one descend testicle and went to the hospital in Kosovo because he had developed a groin swelling that had been there for ten years.
A surgeon examined the mass at 15cm by10cm, finding a full-developed uterus and cervix as well as an ovary.
Doctors diagnosed the man with Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome (PMDS) – an extremely rare condition causing men to have male genitalia that appears normal, as well as female reproductive organs.
While it’s not known how prevalent the condition is at this time, 200 reported cases of it have been published in medical literature.
The beginning of foetus development is the Mullerian conduit, also known as the Mullerian canal, that breaks down during the initial development of males.
However, in rare cases it does not occur. In these instances some boys may be born without either set of reproductive organs.
The condition can be characterized by undescended testicles or hernias at the groin. Female organs, however, are rarely found unless the condition is treated surgically.
The persistent Mullerian-duct syndrome, a condition that causes both sets to form of the genitals, is called Persistent Mullerian. One or both of the testicles may fail to descend, and there might be fleshy hernias at the bottom.
Doctors from the University of Prishtina, Kosovo revealed the case in Urology Case Reports.
Since he was a child, the lump had grown larger when he stood or coughed. It would also get worse when he lay down. The patient was not aware if the lump had been there since birth.
Doctors diagnosed him with an inguinal hernia — when tissue pokes through into the groin at the top of the inner thigh.
This is the most prevalent type of hernia, and it mostly affects men.
But during the operation to repair it — which usually involves doctors making a cut through which they push the lump back into the abdomen — doctors found a ‘pear like structure’ that they discovered was a uterus.
The team also discovered a scrotal sac with a fallopian tubes and testicle. It had an ovary attached.
His main symptoms were an inguinal hernia and PMDS.
This happens when the descendant testicle draws the fallopian tube, uterus and tract into which it is passing.
People with PMDS are at higher risk of being infertile, but doctors noted the condition never affected the patient’s reproductive abilities, as he had three children and a ‘well developed penis’ with a urethral opening in the correct place.
Doctors estimate between 30 and 80 per cent of PMDS patients suffer from an inguinal hernia, infertility or pseudohermaphroditism — when they have both genders genitals or female genitals on the outside.
Parents will need to choose which child they want to have sex with, often requiring surgery and hormones.
The case comes seven years after businessman Duane Walters became the first British male to have a hysterectomy — when the uterus is surgically removed — after doctors discovered he had PMDS.
After he suffered from urine blood, doctors discovered that he was suffering bladder cancer.
Since he was young, he had suffered from pre-menstrual tension and period pains.