Fractional Co2 Laser Treatment of the Vulva and Vagina and the Effect of Postmenopausal Duration on Efficacy. 2021

Macrene R Alexiades
Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center of New York, Yale University School of Medicine, New York, New York.

More studies are needed to assess the long-term safety profile and clinical outcomes of lasers and energy-based devices to treat the symptoms associated with vulvovaginal atrophy. This study evaluated a series of three fractional CO2 laser treatments to the vulva and vagina with a 1-year follow-up in a postmenopausal population. In this prospective, self-controlled, open-label clinical study, 18 postmenopausal females with atrophic vaginitis received 3 monthly treatments to the vulva and vagina with a fractional CO2 laser system and 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. Investigators used the Vaginal Health Index (VHI) to assess changes in vaginal elasticity, fluid volume, vaginal pH, epithelial integrity, and moisture. Sexual function at each timepoint was subject-reported, using the validated Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Treatment of the vulva and vagina in postmenopausal women with fractional CO2 laser resurfacing resulted in statistically significant improvements as compared with baseline at all post-treatment and follow-up intervals to 12 months in VHI and FSFI (P ≤ 0.003 and P ≤ 0.03, respectively). Mean total VHI score increased from a baseline of 11.8-22.8 (93.2% improved) at 6-month follow-up (P = 0.0002) slightly decreasing to 21.4 (81.4% improved) at 12-month follow-up post-treatment (P = 0.0003). Mean FSFI Scores increased from a baseline of 17.9-26.3 (46.9% improvement) at 12-month follow-up post-treatment (P ≤ 0.0048). Cohort analysis revealed restoration of normal or near-normal (23-25) VHI following laser treatment in the recently menopausal (1-3 years) greatly exceeded that of the >3 years postmenopausal population and the difference was statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). Normal/near-normal VHI at 3-, 6-, and 12-month post-treatment was 88%, 88%, and 63% in the recently postmenopausal cohort, as compared with 30%, 40%, and 10% of the >3 years postmenopausal group (P ≤ 0.05). Patient satisfaction following treatment was rated as high at 94% at 12-month follow-up. Safety findings demonstrated no-to-slight discomfort in the majority of subjects and transient erythema and edema, with no adverse events associated with treatment. Fractional CO2 laser treatment of the vulva and vagina resulted in statistically significant improvements in VHI and FSFI compared with baseline in postmenopausal population that were sustained to 12-month follow-up. Restoration of normal VHI was observed in a statistically significant greater percentage in the recently postmenopausal cohort (1-3 years) as compared with postmenopausal cohort of >3 years, suggesting that early intervention is correlated with improved outcomes. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D002245 Carbon Dioxide A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals. Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001284 Atrophy Decrease in the size of a cell, tissue, organ, or multiple organs, associated with a variety of pathological conditions such as abnormal cellular changes, ischemia, malnutrition, or hormonal changes. Atrophies
D014621 Vagina The genital canal in the female, extending from the UTERUS to the VULVA. (Stedman, 25th ed) Vaginas
D014844 Vulva The external genitalia of the female. It includes the CLITORIS, the labia, the vestibule, and its glands. Vulvas
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes
D017698 Postmenopause The physiological period following the MENOPAUSE, the permanent cessation of the menstrual life. Post-Menopause,Post-menopausal Period,Postmenopausal Period,Period, Post-menopausal,Period, Postmenopausal,Post Menopause,Post menopausal Period,Post-Menopauses
D054020 Lasers, Gas Lasers in which a gas lasing medium is stimulated to emit light by an electric current or high-frequency oscillator. Argon Ion Lasers,CO2 Lasers,Carbon Dioxide Lasers,Copper Vapor Lasers,Gas Lasers,Gold Vapor Lasers,Helium Lasers,Helium Neon Gas Lasers,Metal Vapor Lasers,Nitrogen Lasers,Xenon Ion Lasers,HeNe Lasers,Lasers, Argon Ion,Lasers, CO2,Lasers, Carbon Dioxide,Lasers, Copper Vapor,Lasers, Gold Vapor,Lasers, Helium,Lasers, Helium Neon Gas,Lasers, Metal Vapor,Lasers, Nitrogen,Lasers, Xenon Ion,Argon Ion Laser,CO2 Laser,Carbon Dioxide Laser,Copper Vapor Laser,Dioxide Laser, Carbon,Dioxide Lasers, Carbon,Gas Laser,Gold Vapor Laser,HeNe Laser,Helium Laser,Ion Laser, Argon,Ion Laser, Xenon,Ion Lasers, Argon,Ion Lasers, Xenon,Laser, Argon Ion,Laser, CO2,Laser, Carbon Dioxide,Laser, Copper Vapor,Laser, Gas,Laser, Gold Vapor,Laser, HeNe,Laser, Helium,Laser, Metal Vapor,Laser, Nitrogen,Laser, Xenon Ion,Lasers, HeNe,Metal Vapor Laser,Nitrogen Laser,Vapor Laser, Copper,Vapor Laser, Gold,Vapor Laser, Metal,Vapor Lasers, Copper,Vapor Lasers, Gold,Vapor Lasers, Metal,Xenon Ion Laser

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