title: Vaginal laser Doppler flowmetry pre- and posthysterectomy.
abstract: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the applicability of laser doppler flowmetry to pre- and posthysterectomy vaginal blood flow assessment. We used laser Doppler flowmetry to measure pre-and postoperational vaginal blood flow in 8 premenopausal women undergoing benign hysterectomies; we also measured serum E2, FSH, FT and administered a brief sexual function questionnaire. We analyzed data using two tailed t-test for paired samples. We found no significant differences at the P <.05 level of significance for vaginal blood flow. Accompanying values of estradiol, FSH, and free testosterone remained unchanged as well. A brief sexual function assessment revealed improvement or stability of libido, arousal, orgasm, and partner relatedness. Laser doppler flowmetry is an objective, reproducible measure of vaginal blood flow and may be used to investigate posthysterectomy sexual function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06504, USA.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Richman
authors.forename: Philip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sarrel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D007989:Libido; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017697:Premenopause; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014621:Vagina / Q000098:blood supply*