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Published on: October 25, 2024
The effect of pelvic organ prolapse repair on vaginal sensation
Lior Lowenstein1,2, Susana Mustafa-Mikhail3,4, Irena Gartman5
1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Introduction And Hypothesis:
The objective was to evaluate vaginal and clitoral sensation before and after robotic sacrocolpopexy for the repair of pelvic organ prolapse.
Methods:
Twenty-two women, mean age 63 years (range 41-77), were admitted for robotic sacrocolpopexy repair of pelvic organ prolapse; 4 were lost to follow-up. Quantitative sensory thresholds for warm, cold, and vibratory sensations were measured at the vagina (anterior and posterior areas) and clitoris 1 day before and a mean of 12 ± 4 months following surgery. Student's paired t test was used to compare sensory thresholds before and after surgery.
Results:
For the 18 women who completed follow-up, sensitivity was significantly higher after surgery (sensory threshold decreased) at the clitoral and vaginal regions, to cold and warm stimuli. In contrast, the vaginal and clitoral vibratory sensory thresholds did not change significantly following surgery.
Conclusion:
The repair of pelvic organ prolapse by robotic sacrocolpopexy could potentially play a role in restoring clitoral and vaginal wall sensation. The effects of these sensory changes on sexual function and the quality of sexual life need further investigation.
