Division of Urogynecology, The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Advanced Women's care of Low County, Aspire Med Spa, Bluffton, South Carolina, USA.
Neurourol Urodyn. 2023 Apr;42(4):807-813. doi: 10.1002/nau.25170. Epub 2023 Mar 4.
Radiofrequency (RF) energy application stimulates collagen and elastin remodeling to restore the elasticity, and moisture of the superficial vaginal mucosa. This is the first study to report on the use of microneedling to deliver RF energy to the vaginal canal. Microneedling increases the response of the collagen contraction and neocollagenesis in deeper layers of tissue, thus increasing the support to the surface. The novel intravaginal microneedling device used in this study allows penetration of the needles to 1, 2, or 3 mm.
A prospective study to evaluate the safety and short-term outcome of a single fractional RF treatment of the vaginal canal in a series of women with coexistent stress or mixed incontinence (MUI) and genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).
Twenty women who had symptoms of SUI and or MUI in conjunction with GSM were given a single vaginal treatment that consisted of fractional bipolar RF energy using the EmpowerRF platform with the Morpheus8V applicator (InMode). RF energy was delivered into the vaginal walls via 24 microneedles, at a depth of 1, 2, and 3 mm. Outcomes were evaluated by "cough" stress test, questionnaires (MESA SI, MESA UI, iQoL, UDI-6) and evaluation of vaginal tissue through the VHI scale at 1-, 3-, and 6-months post-treatment compared to baseline. Biopsies were performed at baseline and 3-months on five patients for histological reference and tissue evaluation.
Eight out of eight outcomes measured from baseline to 6-months post-treatment showed improvement. The parameters scored in the questionnaires including frequency, urgency, nocturia, urge incontinence, and stress incontinence showed significant improvement in all areas at the 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up sessions compared to baseline.
The results showed evidence that fractional RF energy delivered vaginally is safe, well tolerated, and provide short term improvement of SUI and or MUI in conjunction with GSM.
射频 (RF) 能量应用刺激胶原蛋白和弹性蛋白重塑，以恢复阴道黏膜的弹性和水分。这是第一项报告使用微针刺入阴道输送 RF 能量的研究。微针刺入增加了胶原蛋白收缩和深层组织中新胶原蛋白形成的反应，从而增加了对表面的支撑。本研究中使用的新型阴道内微针刺入装置允许针穿透 1、2 或 3 毫米。
一项前瞻性研究评估了一系列同时患有压力性或混合性尿失禁 (MUI) 和女性泌尿生殖系统综合征 (GSM) 的女性阴道单次分数 RF 治疗的安全性和短期结果。
20 名患有 SUI 和/或 MUI 症状以及 GSM 的女性接受了单次阴道治疗，该治疗包括使用 EmpowerRF 平台和 Morpheus8V 器械 (InMode) 进行分数双极 RF 能量。RF 能量通过 24 个微针递送至阴道壁，深度为 1、2 和 3 毫米。通过“咳嗽”应激试验、问卷（MESA SI、MESA UI、iQoL、UDI-6）以及 VHI 量表评估阴道组织，在治疗后 1、3 和 6 个月与基线相比评估结果。在基线和 3 个月时对五名患者进行活检，用于组织学参考和组织评估。
从基线到治疗后 6 个月的 8 项测量结果均有所改善。问卷中评分的参数包括频率、紧迫性、夜尿症、急迫性尿失禁和压力性尿失禁，在 1、3 和 6 个月的随访中与基线相比，所有区域均有显著改善。
结果表明，阴道内递送电分数 RF 能量是安全的，耐受性良好，并提供了 GSM 联合治疗下 SUI 和/或 MUI 的短期改善。
