title: Carbon-dioxide laser vaporization of the Bartholin gland cyst: a retrospective analysis on 200 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of carbon-dioxide laser vaporization as definitive treatment for Bartholin gland cyst.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-3).
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 200 patients with monolateral or bilateral Bartholin gland cyst.
  
  
  METHODS
  A standardized technique of cyst vaporization performed by carbon-dioxide laser in outpatient setting and local anesthesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Records of all patients were reviewed for anamnestic information, anatomic parameters, intraoperative and postoperative outcomes, and follow-up data. Seven patients having bilateral cyst were treated in a single session; 207 procedures were performed. The cyst mean size was 6.3 +/- 2.3 cm (95% CI 5.93-6.67). All treatments were completed in outpatient regimen and local anesthesia with a median operative time of 17 minutes (range: 7-45). Three (1.5%) cases of intraoperative major bleeding were observed. The cure rate of a single laser treatment was 95.7%. The 9 patients with recurrent disease observed during follow-up underwent carbon-dioxide laser reintervention by the same therapeutic strategy with a 100% cure rate after 2 or 3 treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carbon-dioxide laser vaporization of Bartholin gland cyst represents a safe and effective procedure with complete healing and positive follow-up outcomes. Further randomized trials should be conducted to confirm these findings and to establish the best surgical strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Perinatology and Human Reproduction, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fambrini
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pieralli
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fallani
authors.forename: Karin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lozza
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarselli
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchionni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D001472:Bartholin's Glands / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003560:Cysts / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome