Safety, Efficiency, and Outcomes of Perineoplasty: Treatment of the Sensation of a Wide Vagina

Abstract

Background. The sensation of a wide vagina is a common problem for women after childbirth. As its etiology is unknown, there is no uniform management strategy. We hypothesized that, rather than vaginal laxity, the cause was level 3 pelvic support deficiency.Methods. This retrospective study compared preoperative and postoperative genital hiatus length, perineal length, and total vaginal length in patients treated with perineoplasty for the sensation of a wide vagina. A telephone survey was used to determine postoperative patient and male partner satisfaction rates.Results. Mean age of patients was 48 (26–68) years; mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.3 (17.6–33.2); and mean parity was 2.5 (2–5). Preoperative and postoperative genital hiatus, perineal length, and total vaginal length were 4.62 and 3.18 (p<0.01), 3.06 and 4.04 (p<0.01), and 9.43 and 9.43 (p=0.882), respectively. At the 6-month follow-up, the success rate of the perineoplasty procedure was 87.9%; according to a visual analog scale, partner satisfaction rate was 92.6%. Ten percent (n=4) of patients said they experienced dyspareunia during sexual intercourse at the introitus of the vagina.Conclusion. With low dyspareunia rates, low complication rates, high patient satisfaction, and satisfactory anatomical success, perineoplasty can be considered successful for treatment of the sensation of a wide vagina.