Localized provoked vestibulodynia: outcomes after modified vestibulectomy
Objective:
To describe and estimate both short-term and long-term effectiveness of a large cohort of women treated with modified vestibulectomy in a single surgical service.
Study Design:
A total of 202 patients who were treated with modified vestibulectomy for localized provoked vestibulodynia at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, were mailed a questionnaire to document severity of vulvar pain or discomfort before and after the surgery.
Results:
In total, 115 patients returned the questionnaire. Of the 71 patients who before surgery reported pain when inserting a tampon, 52 reported attempting to insert a tampon after surgery. Of these 52 patients, 47 (90.4%) noticed moderate to substantial improvement. Pain with sexual intercourse occurred in 97.3% (107/ 110) of patients before surgery. After surgery, 90 (84.1%) of those 107 patients noted moderate to substantial improvement in their pain with intercourse.
Conclusion:
Modified vestibulectomy was a successful treatment for patients with localized provoked vestibulodynia and resulted in strong patient satisfaction, long-term effectiveness, minimal scarring, and few postoperative complications.
