Energy-Based Devices for Functional Vaginal Problems: Issues and Answers

Vaginal rejuvenation is a marketing term that encompasses surgical and medical treatments for functional vaginal/vulvar problems including but not limited to genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), sexual dysfunction, vaginal laxity, and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and for esthetic concerns including dissatisfaction with vulvovaginal appearance. Multiple treatment options have become available for indications of functional vaginal problems. Noninvasive management options including the use of more novel treatments such as energy-based devices have gained interest. Previously, studies regarding the efficacy and safety of the energy-based devices for functional vaginal problems were mostly limited to cohort studies without sham treatment, control groups, randomization, or double blinding. As a result of this insufficient data in 2018, the FDA released a statement of warning against the use of energy-based devices in the treatment of functional vaginal problems or vaginal cosmetic procedures (Https://Www.Fda.Gov/Medical-Devices/Safety-Communications/Fda-Warns-Against-Use-Energy-Based-Devices-Perform-Vaginal-Rejuvenation-or-Vaginal-Cosmetic. 1–4, 2018). Purpose of Review This article reviews the most current treatment modalities in the realm of vaginal rejuvenation therapy with an emphasis on the efficacy and safety of the energy-based devices. Recent Findings In the most recent literature, there have been studies with improvements in study design that support the efficacy and the short-term safety of the energy-based devices. Summary More recent studies with improved study design evidence that the use of energy-based devices results in improvements in functional vaginal problems and that serious adverse events appear to be rare. The availability of these devices as treatment options for functional vaginal problems has the potential to impact patient by improving their symptoms and quality of life. Caution still remains however regarding their safety following a longer period of time after their use.

A Preliminary Study: The Effectiveness of CO2 Laser Therapy for Stress Urinary Incontinence

Objective: To evaluate the role of fractioned CO2 laser intravaginal as a non-invasive treatment for relieving stress urinary incontinence (SUI) symptoms.Methods: This was a prospective, quasi-experimental study in patients with SUI. The patients were treated through three different sessions in a month apart by the fractioned CO2 laser Femilift©, produced by Alma Lasers. The patients fi lled and completed questionnaires about continence assessment, quality of life, and sexuality before and after therapy based on PISQ-12 and ICIQ-UI questionnaire. Perineometry was performed to prove the outcome.Results: Twenty women were enrolled. At 4 weeks following the third treatment, there was a signifi cant improvement for continence assessment (7.70 ± 4.38 to 4.50 ± 2.88; p < 0.001), quality of life and sexuality (28.13 ± 7.06 to 33.13 ±7.80; p < 0.001), and vaginal perineometer results (37.20 ± 17.24 to 48.80 ± 16.72; p = 0.009).Conclusions: Fractioned CO2 intravaginal laser has a role in improving SUI symptoms.Keywords: fractioned CO2 laser, stress urinary incontinence, vaginal rejuvenation. AbstrakTujuan: Untuk mengetahui efektivitas terapi laser CO2 terfraksi intravaginal sebagai terapi non-invasif untuk mengurangi gejala inkontinensia urine (IU) tipe tekanan.Metode: Penelitian ini merupakan studi prospektif, quasieksperimental pada pasien dengan inkontinensia urin (IU) tipe tekanan yang mengikuti terapi laser CO2 terfraksi intravaginal tiga sesi berbeda, dengan jarak satu bulan menggunakan laser CO2 terfraksi Femilift© dari Alma Lasers. Subjek mengisi kuesioner mengenai penilaian kontinensia, kualitas hidup dan kehidupan seksual sebelum dan sesudah terapi (kuesioner PISQ-12 dan ICIQ-UI). Selain kuesioner, pemeriksaan perineometri juga dilakukan pada beberapa subjek penelitian untuk membuktikan efektivitas terapi.Hasil: Dua puluh subjek ikut dalam penelitian ini. Penilaian pada minggu keempat setelah sesi terapi ketiga, menunjukkan peningkatan yang signifi kan pada penilaian kontinensia (7.70 ± 4.38 ke 4.50 ± 2.88; p < 0.001), pada kualitas hidup dan kehidupan seksual (28.13 ± 7.06 ke 33.13 ±7.80; p < 0.001), dan pada hasil perineometri (37.20 ± 17.24 ke 48.80 ± 16.72; p = 0.009).Kesimpulan: Terapi laser CO2 terfraksi intravaginal menunjukkan kecenderungan untuk mengurangi gejalainkontinensia urine (IU) tipe tekanan.Kata kunci: inkontinensia urin tipe tekanan, terapi laser CO2 terfraksi intravaginal, vaginal rejuvenation.

Kontrol terhadap Tubuh Perempuan pada Praktik Rejuvenasi Vagina

Vaginal rejuvenation has become a tradition among Indonesian women. The vaginal rejuvenation tradition was discovered in the Javanese kingdom era through traditional methods using vaginal evaporation and herbs. This tradition extends since the herbal medicine to dry and tighten the vagina, produced by the factory, and distributed to various regions in Indonesia. Traditional vaginal rejuvenation is still in demand and is carried out by Indonesian women to this day. Teenage women to married women consume traditional herbal vaginal seals. Many married women who choose to use a solid concoction “Tongkat Madura”, so it is faster to get the results of a dry and tight vagina. As the evolvement of medical technology, recently it is known well a treat to reconstruct the vagina by using laser technology or surgery which is called as vaginal rejuvenation. The woman who does this kind of treatment usually because they want to have an “ideal” vagina for the sake of harmonies sexual relations. The idea of this “dry and tight” vagina comes from generation to generation where every woman in Indonesia is thought to take treat their vagina carefully so that she can satisfy her sex partner. Derive from Foucault’s idea of political body technology and some ideas from feminists, this research is aimed to examine the inequity experienced by women in the practice of vaginal rejuvenation in Indonesia. This research is exploratory. The analysis was performed on the data in the form of observations and interviews. This research found inequities experienced by women in the form of objectification of the female body; women’s subordination; women suffer in the process of reconstruction of their bodies to fulfill men’s pleasures and rules in society.Keywords: Control toward Women; Gender; Patriarchal Constructions; Sexuality; Vaginal Rejuvenation.