2053 the Fractional CO2 Laser in Korea: An Effective Treatment Option for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause

Abstract

Study Objective The genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is associated with bothersome symptoms in menopausal women. The GSM may have a negative impact on the quality of life of postmenopausal women, and it should be treated with an appropriate therapy. This study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy of fractional CO2 laser therapy (Laser therapy) in the treatment of GSM. Design GSM patients treated with Laser therapy and evaluates the progress before and after treatment using objective and subjective indicators. Setting We use the fractional CO2 laser (SmartXide2 V2LR, Monalisa Touch, DEKA, Italy). The therapy was applicated every 4 weeks. Patients or Participants The total of 38 women presenting with GSM were enrolled to Laser therapy. 22 patients are survivors of breast cancer. Interventions The severity of symptoms was assessed with a visual analog scale(VAS) at the baseline and every visit. We also measured the objective scale using the vaginal health index score (VHIS) at baseline and after completion of laser procedure. At each procedure, patient's pain in VAS and the physician's difficulty was recorded at each time. At last visit, the patients evaluate their satisfaction with the laser therapy using a 5 points Likert scale. Measurements and Main Results In our study, almost all symptoms showed the mean VAS score improvement. But only the relief in vaginal dryness improved significantly(p Conclusion This study shows that fractional CO2 laser treatment is effective in patients who suffering from genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Further studies should be performed to confirm the results and to assess the long-term effects of the laser therapy.