Obstetrics & Gynecology Email Alerts
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Obstetrics & Gynecology 2006;107:256-262
© 2006 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Traas, M. A. F.
Right arrow Articles by Vierhout, M. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Traas, M. A. F.
Right arrow Articles by Vierhout, M. E.
Related Collections
Right arrow General gynecology
Right arrow General surgery
Right arrow Gynecologic surgery
Right arrow Psychology/psychiatry
Right arrow Sexuality

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Surgical Treatment for the Vulvar Vestibulitis Syndrome

Maaike A. F. Traas, MD1, Ruud L. M. Bekkers, MD, PhD2, Julien M. J. Dony, MD, PhD2, Marlies Blom, MD3, Anneke W. P. van Haren, MD4, Jan C. M. Hendriks, PhD5 and Mark E. Vierhout, MD, PhD2

From the 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, the Netherlands; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; 3Department of Rheumatology, Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; 4Department of Neurology, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, the Netherlands; and 5Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: To study the outcome and complications of surgical treatment for vulvar vestibulitis syndrome and to identify patient characteristics that may have influenced the outcome.

METHODS: Relevant patient characteristics were extracted retrospectively from the medical records of 155 women aged 40 years or younger who had received surgical treatment for vulvar vestibulitis syndrome. To assess outcome and complications, 126 of these 155 women (81%) participated in a telephone interview, conducted 1 to 4 years after surgery.

RESULTS: After surgery 93% of the patients could have sexual intercourse compared with 78% before surgery; this increase was statistically significant (Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio 3.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48–7.96). In 62% of the women (95% CI 53–70%), sexual intercourse was painless after surgery. Eighty-nine percent (95% CI 84–95%) would recommend surgical treatment to other women experiencing vulvar vestibulitis syndrome. There were no major complications. Decreased lubrication during sexual arousal was the most frequently reported adverse effect (24%, 95% CI 16–32%), followed by the development of a Bartholin’s cyst (6%, 95% CI 2–10%). More of the women aged 30 years or younger reported that they could have sexual intercourse after surgery, and more of them would recommend surgical treatment to other patients than women aged 31 years or older.

CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment for vulvar vestibulitis syndrome achieved high success rates with an acceptable rate of complications. Age of 30 years or younger was associated with a better outcome.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2006 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.