The estriol use in the perioperative period by patients with genital prolapse

Abstract

Introduction. Postmenopausal women in a state of oestrogen deficiency often experience pelvic prolapse with underlying genitourinary menopausal syndrome, when the progression of atrophic processes in the vaginal mucosa comes to the forefront.Aim. To evaluate the results of the use of topical hormonal therapy in the perioperative period to improve the vaginal epithelial surface appearance in postmenopausal women who need surgical treatment of pelvic prolapse.Materials and methods. A comparative prospective randomized clinical trial included 60 postmenopausal patients aged 60 to 69 years with a postmenopausal period of 10 to 20 years, suffering from POP-Q stage II–IV pelvic prolapse (ICS, 1996). All patients were recommended surgical treatment using vaginal approach. The treatment group (Group 1) included 30 patients who received topical hormonal therapy with an estriol drug (Ovestin cream, 1 mg/g) within 1 month before reconstructive plastic surgery. The comparison group (Group 2) included 30 patients who did not receive hormonal treatment in the perioperative period.Results. No complications were observed in the treatment group after reconstructive plastic surgery in the early and late postoperative periods. In the comparison group, natural urination was not achieved in 9 of 30 (35.0%) women on Day 2 after surgery, in 4 of 30 (13.3%) patients on Day 3. Also in that group, 4 of 30 (13.3%) patients experienced infectious and inflammatory complications in the postoperative period, the mucous membrane healing in 5/30 (16.6%) patients took a long time, over 1 month.Conclusions. The use of topical hormonal therapy with an estriol drug in the perioperative period in patients who require surgical treatment of pelvic prolapse results in the relief of vulvovaginal atrophy symptoms and adequate regeneration of the vaginal mucosa, which helps reduce the likelihood of complications in both early and late postoperative periods.