title: Initial experience in a vulvovaginal aesthetic surgery unit within a general gynecology department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate what the appropriate indications are for vulvovaginal (VV) plastic surgeries in our environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study of 73 consecutive patients who were seen on consultation at the gynecologic aesthetic unit between January 2008 and January 2009 asking for a VV aesthetic surgery.All patients completed the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire and received information on sexuality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 73 patients seen on consultation, 32 (43.8%) underwent surgery, and the main reason for this was reduction labioplasty in 19 patients, widening vaginoplasty in 6, reduction vaginoplasty in 1, and resection of asymmetries in 6 patients. None of the patients seen on consultation for vulvar bleaching, G-spot amplification, or augmentation labioplasty underwent surgery. Postoperative complications included wound dehiscence in 3 patients (9.3%) and a vulvar hematoma in 1 patient (3.1%).Postoperative sexual satisfaction was optimal for 30 patients; only 2 complained of dyspareunia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients seen on consultation for VV plastic surgery had no need for it and only received information regarding female anatomy and sexuality. Reduction labioplasty owing to hypertrophy of the labia minora represented the most frequent reason for consultation and surgery. Indications for VV plastic surgeries should be based not only on surgical results but also on the reported satisfaction achieved by those patients who did not undergo surgery and only received appropriate information during consultation.
authors.affiliation: Gynecology Department, Hospital Italiano of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Claudia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Marchitelli
authors.forename: Maria Celeste
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sluga
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Testa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014621:Vagina / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014844:Vulva / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult