Objective   To improve the diagnosis and treatment of hermaphroditism.    Methods   The data of 138 cases of hermaphroditism who were hospitalized in our department between March 2005 and April 2008 were reviewed and and analyzed to summarize our experience in the diagnosis and treatment.   Results   Among the 138 cases with a age ranging from 2 to 36 (mean 17 years old)

42 were socially male and 96 were socially female. With the help of medical examination

laboratory examination

ultrasonic examination

radiological examination and pathologic diagnosis

54 patients were diagnosed as female pseudohermaphroditism

66 as male pseudohermaphroditism

10 patients as true hermaphroditism

2 patients as pure gonadal dysgenesis

2 as testicle degeneration

and the left 4 patients as Klinefelter syndrome. Among the 138 patients

132 patients were received surgery operation

including 76 of them receiving laparoscopy. After operation

121 patients were maintained female sex

11 patients were maintained male sex. Female pseudohermaphroditism were all maintained female sex. Fifty-nine patients of male pseudohermaphroditism were maintained female sex. There were 4 patients being maintained male sex

and 3 patients having not received operation. Of the cases of the true hermaphroditism

8 patients were maintained female sex and 2 patients were maintained male sex.    Conclusion   Early accurate diagnosis is very important to the treatment of hermaphroditism. Etiologic diagnosis is useful in the course. Although it is good for the hermaphroditism to maintain female sex

the decision of the patients and the family should be considered.