Fernando Anne Nileshni, Hamori Christine, Oates Jayson, Sharp Gemma
Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2024 Sep 3;6:ojae074. doi: 10.1093/asjof/ojae074. eCollection 2024.
Menopause involves a range of bodily changes, with impacts on physical and psychological well-being. Around half of the postmenopausal women experience genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Fractional CO laser treatment can promote tissue regeneration in the vaginal wall to potentially assist with managing GSM. However, the results from clinical trials of this treatment have been mixed, and the personal perceptions and experiences of women receiving this treatment have been largely unexplored.
To qualitatively explore the motivations and outcomes of women who have undergone vaginal fractional CO laser treatment.
Fourteen postmenopausal women were involved in the study. These women had undergone vaginal fractional CO laser treatment between 2 and 48 months earlier ( = 32.1, standard deviation = 14.9 months). Telephone interviews were conducted to explore women's motivations and their experiences after treatment. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Deductive and inductive thematic analysis was conducted to analyze interviews.
Analyses produced 4 major themes. First, motivations mostly revolved around participants seeking relief from menopausal symptoms. Second, some participants noted positive sexual outcomes, including improved sexual pleasure after treatment. Third, participants noted positive physical and psychological effects, including improvements in incontinence and overall confidence. Lastly, a subset of participants reported no discernible changes.
This novel qualitative exploration of women's motivations and outcomes of fractional CO laser therapy demonstrates the multifaceted impact of treatment. These findings highlight the importance of considering the holistic effects of fractional CO laser therapy on women's health during midlife, particularly amid menopausal changes.
绝经涉及一系列身体变化，对身心健康产生影响。大约一半的绝经后女性会经历绝经后泌尿生殖综合征（GSM）。分次二氧化碳激光治疗可促进阴道壁组织再生，有可能有助于管理GSM。然而，这种治疗的临床试验结果不一，接受这种治疗的女性的个人认知和经历在很大程度上尚未得到探索。
定性探索接受阴道分次二氧化碳激光治疗的女性的动机和治疗结果。
14名绝经后女性参与了该研究。这些女性在2至48个月前接受了阴道分次二氧化碳激光治疗（平均 = 32.1个月，标准差 = 14.9个月）。通过电话访谈来探索女性的动机以及她们治疗后的经历。访谈进行了录音并逐字转录。采用演绎和归纳主题分析法对访谈进行分析。
分析得出4个主要主题。首先，动机主要围绕参与者寻求缓解绝经症状。其次，一些参与者提到了积极的性方面的结果，包括治疗后性快感增强。第三，参与者提到了积极的身体和心理影响，包括尿失禁情况改善和整体自信心增强。最后，一部分参与者报告没有明显变化。
这项对女性接受分次二氧化碳激光治疗的动机和治疗结果进行的全新定性探索表明了该治疗的多方面影响。这些发现凸显了在中年时期，尤其是在绝经变化期间，考虑分次二氧化碳激光治疗对女性健康的整体影响的重要性。
