title: Long-term psychosexual and anatomical outcome after vaginal dilation or vaginoplasty: a comparative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In patients with disorders of sex development requiring creation of a neovagina, a number of techniques are available, including surgical vaginoplasty and self-dilation therapy. Vaginal dilation therapy has been recommended as a first-line treatment because of its less invasive character and high success rate. However, no data exist on long-term psychosexual functioning after vaginal dilation as compared with that after vaginal surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to compare the psychosexual and anatomical outcome of women with congenital vaginal hypoplasia followed in the same clinical setting after vaginoplasty with that after vaginal dilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sexual quality of life of 35 women at least 2 years after vaginoplasty (N = 15), vaginal dilation therapy (N = 8), or coital dilation/no treatment (N = 12) was investigated and compared with the Dutch test validation population (as control).
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychosexual functioning was assessed with the female sexual Function index, the female sexual distress scale-revised, and a semi-structured interview. A gynecological examination was performed to determine the anatomical outcome after both vaginal treatment regimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After either treatment, 26% of these women had a shortened vaginal length of less than 6.6 cm, i.e., more than two standard deviations below the published mean value (9.6 ± 1.5 cm). Irrespective of the treatment, 47% of the patients had (a) sexual dysfunction(s) and experienced sexual distress. However, after vaginoplasty, patients reported significantly more problems with lubrication (P = 0.025) than after self-dilation therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both psychological and physical factors are predisposing for sexual difficulties. To optimize psychosexual comfort, the clinical management of women with vaginal hypoplasia needs to be multidisciplinary and individually tailored. With high success rates reported, vaginal dilation should remain the cornerstone of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University Hospital Ghent and Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. nina.callens@ugent.be
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Callens
authors.forename: Griet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Cuypere
authors.forename: Katja P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wolffenbuttel
authors.forename: Catharina C M
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Beerendonk
authors.forename: Yvonne G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: van der Zwan
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monstrey
authors.forename: Maaike E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Van Kuyk
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Sutter
authors.forename: Arianne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Dessens
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cools
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014621:Vagina / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult