title: Vaginal extension improves sexual function in patients receiving laparoscopic radical hysterectomy.
abstract: To investigate as to whether vaginal extension (VX) following laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) improves sexual function in patients with early-stage cervical cancer patients.
  
  
  
  A total of 216 patients with stage Ia1-IIa2 cervical cancer were recruited, 115 of them received LRH concurrently with VX (group VX) and the other 101, LRH only (group C). Demographic, clinicopathological, and peri-operative data were collected. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire was administrated before and one year after surgery. Serum estrogen and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were also measured one year after surgery. The total and domain-wise FSFI scores before and after surgery were compared.
  
  
  
  Irrespective VX or not, all 6 domains of the FSFI scores in women with early-stage cervical cancer were significantly reduced one year after LRH. VX, however, significantly attenuated this reduction and improved all 6 FSFI domain scores, at the only cost of <20min longer operating time. In addition, more ovarian reserve and better pre-operational sexual function also contributed to the attenuation. The ovarian reserve was improved if ovarian preservation procedure was performed during LRH.
  
  
  
  While the sexual function in patients receiving VX procedure does not fully achieve the pre-operational level, the improvement is nonetheless global and significant. Ovarian preservation procedure during LRH may also help improve the sexual function. Therefore, VX and ovarian preservation may be desirable for patients with early-stage cervical cancer who undergo RH.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai OB/GYN Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors.forename: Hongyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai OB/GYN Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai OB/GYN Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: hoxa10@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Sun-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Shanghai OB/GYN Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: lxsdoc@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xishi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D065851:Ovarian Reserve / Q000502:physiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014621:Vagina / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone
keywords: Cervical cancer; Female Sexual Function Index; Laparoscopic radical hysterectomy; Ovarian preservation; Ovarian reserve; Sexual function; Vaginal extension