Vestibulectomy for vulvar vestibulitis

To determine if surgery is an effective therapy for vulvar vestibulitis.

A retrospective chart review of all patients having vestibulectomy at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, from 1992 to 2001 was performed. A scoring system measuring objective and subjective findings was used both preoperatively and postoperatively to assess the effects of surgery. A paired t test was used to analyze the difference between preoperative and postoperative symptom scores. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test evaluated changes in symptom scores.

Thirty-eight of 42 patients (90%) with "pure" vulvar vestibulitis, as determined by physical findings and pathologic confirmation, had a significant improvement (P < .01) in their symptoms. The remaining 4 patients had confounding factors that may explain their lack of improvement.

Vestibulectomy is a simple and very effective treatment for vulvar vestibulitis.