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Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) Quantification System
Published on: September 20, 2018
Do alterations in vaginal dimensions after reconstructive pelvic surgeries affect the risk for dyspareunia?
Yoram Abramov1, Sanjay Gandhi, Sylvia M Botros
1Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Evanston Continence Center, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Ill, USA. y-abramov@northwestern.edu
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in vaginal dimensions after transvaginal reconstructive pelvic surgeries affect the risk for postoperative dyspareunia.
Study Design:
Charts of all sexually active patients who underwent transvaginal reconstructive pelvic surgeries in our institution between July 1998 and June 2002 with 1 year of follow-up evaluations were reviewed. Data were analyzed with the Student t, chi2, Pearson's correlation tests and a logistic regression model.
Results:
Two hundred twenty-eight women aged 44 to 83 years were included. Dyspareunia increased after operation (16% vs 7%; P = .001); total vaginal length (7.6 vs 8.8 cm; P = .001) and genital hiatus (2.7 vs 3.5 cm; P = .001) dimensions significantly decreased after operation, with no predilection for any specific procedure. No correlation was found between these changes in vaginal dimensions and the risk for dyspareunia.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of dyspareunia increases after transvaginal reconstructive pelvic surgeries. Despite a postoperative decrease in vaginal dimensions, a causal relationship between dyspareunia and changes in vaginal dimensions may not exist.
