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Choi, Um, Kim, and Jung: STUDY ON THE CHANGES IN SEXUAL FUNCTIONING AND CLINICAL SYMPTOMS BEFORE AND AFTER RADIOFREQUENCY MYOLYSIS IN WOMEN WITH UTERINE MYOMA
Original Article

Korean J Obstet Gynecol 2011;54(9):529-535.

Published online: 21 January 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5468/KJOG.2011.54.9.529

STUDY ON THE CHANGES IN SEXUAL FUNCTIONING AND CLINICAL SYMPTOMS BEFORE AND AFTER RADIOFREQUENCY MYOLYSIS IN WOMEN WITH UTERINE MYOMA

Eun Young Choi, MD, Mi Jung Um, MS, Soo Ah Kim, MD, Hyuk Jung, MD PhD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea

Corresponding author: Hyuk Jung, MD, PhD Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chosun University College of Medicine, 588 Seoseok-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-717, Korea Tel:+ 82-62-220-3091 Fax: +82-62-232-2310 E-mail: bimilo@hanmail.net

Received 25 February 2011       Revised 20 July 2011       Accepted 17 August 2011

Copyright © 2011 Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to estimate sexual functioning and clinical symptoms after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis of uterine myomas.

Methods

Fifty-four patients who had undergone RF myolysis in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Chosun University Hospital were surveyed regarding changes in the number, diameter, volume of myomas, sexual functioning and clinical symptoms before and 6 months after the procedure.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 43 ± 4.048 years. The following clinical symptoms (dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, abdominal pain, dyspareunia, pelvic pressure, back pain, urinary frequency and leg pain) were improved significantly 6 months after RF myolysis (P < 0.001). The results following parameters of sexual function (desire for sex, frequency of sex, frequency of orgasm and strength of orgasm) were no significant differences before and after RF myolysis. The diameter and volume of myomas were significantly reduced 6 months after than before RF myolysis (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

RF myolysis is effective in improvement of clinical symptoms without an influence on sexual functioning and reduction of myoma size.

Keywords: Uterine myoma, Radiofrequency myolysis, Sexual function

REFERENCES

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Table 1.
Demographic characteristics
Age (yr) 43 ± 4.048 (35-49)
Impressions  
 Myoma 38 (70.4)
 Adenomyosis 9 (16.7)
 Myoma with adenomyosis 7 (13)
 Total 54 (100)
Indicative symptoms  
 Menorrhagia 5 (9.3)
 Dysmenorrhea 19 (35.2)
 Menorrhagia with dysmenorrhea 16 (29.6)
 Vaginal bleeding 3 (5.6)
 Pelvic pressure 5 (9.3)
 Myoma size increase 4 (7.4)
 Asymptomatic 2 (3.7)
Menopause  
 Yes 0
 No 54 (100)
Hormone replacement  
 Yes 0
 No 54 (100)
Spouse  
 Yes 54 (100)
 No 0

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation (min-max) or number (%)

Table 2.
Mean myoma diameter, diameter reduction, volume and volume reduction before and 6 months after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis
  Before RF myolysis (n=54) 6 months after RF myolysis (n=54) P-value
Myoma diameter (cm) 6.2 ± 1.8 4.4 ± 1.6 0.043
Diameter reduction (%) - 21.7 ± 14.5 -
Myoma volume (cm3) 85.4 ± 64.5 47.7 ± 34.5 0.025
Volume reduction (%) - 49.5 ± 29.4 -

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation.

Table 3.
Desire for sex before and 6 months after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis
  Before RF myolysis (n=54) 6 months after RF myolysis (n=54) P-value
Never 12 (22.2) 12 (22.2)  
1/month 17 (31.5) 16 (29.6)  
2-3/month 12(22.2) 13 (24.1) >0.999
1-2/wk 11 (20.4) 12 (22.2)  
3-4/wk 2 (3.7) 1 (1.9)  

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 4.
Frequency of sex before and 6 months after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis
  Before RF myolysis (n = 54) 6 months after RF myolysis (n = 54) P-value
Never 1 (1.9) 1 (1.9)  
1/month 11 (20.4) 8 (14.8)  
2-3/month 19 (35.2) 18 (33.3) 0.255
1-2/wk 20 (37) 26 (48.1)  
3-4/wk 3 (5.6) 1 (1.9)  

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 5.
Frequency of dyspareunia before and 6 months after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis
  Before RF myolysis (n = 54) 6 months after RF myolysis (n = 54) P-value
None of the time 35 (64.8) 45 (83.3)  
Little of the time 7 (13) 7 (13)  
Some of the time 6 (11.1) 2 (3.7) <0.001
Most of the time 3 (5.6) 0  
All of the time 3 (5.6) 0  

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 6.
Frequency of orgasm before and 6 months after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis
  Before RF myolysis (n = 54) 6 months after RF myolysis (n = 54) P-value
None of the time 9 (16.7) 7 (13)  
Little of the time 7 (13) 9 (16.7)  
Some of the time 23 (42.6) 23 (42.6) > 0.999
Most of the time 6 (11.1) 8 (14.8)  
All of the time 9 (16.7) 7 (13)  

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 7.
Strength of orgasm before and 6 months after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis
  Before RF myolysis (n = 54) 6 months after RF myolysis (n = 54) P-value
Never 8 (14.8) 7 (13)  
Very mild 8 (14.8) 7 (13)  
Mild 15 (27.8) 16 (29.6) 0.455
Somewhat strong 22 (40.7) 23 (42.6)  
Very strong 1 (1.9) 1 (1.9)  

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 8.
Clinical symptoms before and 6 months after radiofrequency (RF) myolysis
  Before RF myolysis (n = 54) 6 months after RF myolysis (n = 54) Total P-value
Symptoms Worsened Improved Unchanged
Dysmenorrhea Present 32 (59.3) 0 31 (96.9) 1 (3.1) 32 (100) <0.001
Not 22 (40.7) 1 (4.5) 0 21 (95.5) 22 (100)
Menorrhagia Present 44 (81.5) 0 40 (90.9) 4 (9.1) 44 (100) <0.001
Not 10 (18.5) 1 (10) 0 9 (90) 10 (100)
Abdominal pain Present 20 (37) 0 18 (90) 2 (10) 20 (100) <0.001
Not 34 (63) 2 (5.9) 0 32 (94.1) 34 (100)
Dyspareunia Present 17 (31.5) 0 15 (88.2) 2 (11.8) 17 (100) <0.001
Not 37 (68.5) 0 0 37 (100) 37 (100)
Pelvic pressure Present 15 (27.8) 1 (6.7) 13 (86.7) 1 (6.7) 15 (100) <0.001
Not 39 (72.2) 0 0 39 (100) 39 (100)
Back pain Present 26 (48.1) 0 22 (84.6) 4 (15.4) 26 (100) <0.001
Not 28 (51.9) 2 (7.1) 0 26 (92.9) 28 (100)
Urinary frequency Present 19 (35.2) 0 15 (78.9) 4 (21.1) 19 (100) <0.001
Not 35 (64.8) 0 0 35 (100) 35 (100)
Leg pain Present 9 (16.7) 1 (11.1) 6 (66.7) 2 (22.2) 9 (100) <0.001
Not 45 (83.3) 2 (4.4) 0 43 (95.6) 45 (100)
Constipation Present 16 (29.6) 0 3 (18.8) 13 (81.2) 16 (100) 0.023
Not 38 (70.4) 0 0 38 (100) 38 (100)

Values are presented as number (%).

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