Jodi Glanville was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. To fight the disease, doctors removed her ovaries, uterus, and cervix. They also performed a double mastectomy.
“Women don’t know what all these body parts are really for,” Glanville said. “It got painful. Not just intimacy, but daily. “
In addition to the operation, Glanville was given a hormone blocker. After her cancer treatment, she began to suffer from genital atrophy.
Find a doctor: Women’s Health Specialists at Sanford Health
Genital atrophy is caused by the thinning and drying of the vaginal wall, which can lead to inflammation and painful urinary tract problems. The condition is most common in postmenopausal women, but it can also occur in breast cancer patients and others.
Dr. Jon Dangerfield, an obstetrician and gynecologist, treats patients with this condition. “Unfortunately, when it’s timely menopause or surgically induced menopause, many of these women develop this genital atrophy syndrome,” said Dr. Dangerfield.
Treatment options for genital atrophy are limited. Some patients can be treated with regional hormones such as estrogen. Estrogen therapy is not recommended for patients like Glanville.
This is where the fractionated CO2 laser process comes into play. The fractional CO2 laser, also known as the Mona Lisa procedure, is a medical treatment used to relieve symptoms such as chronic burning, itching, and irritation caused by genital atrophy.
“This was the safest procedure for me – the only one really,” said Glanville.
Short process with noticeable results
During the procedure, the doctor uses laser energy to create shallow holes in the vaginal wall tissue. The small holes stimulate the body’s natural reaction system.
“The body’s reparative cells come in and rejuvenate or seal this skin,” says Dr. Dangerfield. “You are working with the body to try to heal itself by triggering this activation through the laser grid.”
An appointment usually lasts around 45 minutes. Patients are given a numbing cream to minimize discomfort during the procedure and wait 30 minutes for the cream to take effect.
The procedural part of the appointment is usually short and painless.
“The actual laser is very fast and usually takes no more than five to ten minutes,” said Dr. Dangerfield. “I have never had a patient who had any complaints about the procedure.”
The treatment usually comprises three to four appointments. Although each patient’s experience is different, Dr. Dangerfield that most patients see a marked improvement in their symptoms on the third visit.
“By the time most of them have gone through the third procedure, their symptoms will be significantly better. Most of them are gone, but even if these symptoms improve, some of them have so much better quality of life. “
For Glanville, the results are palpable. “I know it has helped tremendously,” she said.
She encourages others who have symptoms to try the treatment. “I would definitely do it. I would recommend it to everyone, even if you have not yet had cancer treatment. “
Old technology, new treatment
Dr. Dangerfield says the technology has been used for the procedure for decades. “The CO2 laser has been around for many, many years. I trained with it 30 years ago, I’m embarrassed, and that was a non-fractionated laser. “
While the laser has been used in other treatments for years, its use in this procedure is relatively new. “The laser is there. The processing unit and the possibility of doing something different with this laser are new. “
New treatments can often come at a higher cost, said Dr. Dangerfield, although he expects the cost of the procedure to decrease as more patients become aware of this option.
“We hope this will become a much more popular treatment that will put a little bit of pressure on our regional insurance payers.”
Dr. Dangerfield and others hope to bring the procedure to more patients soon.
“It has new benefits for patients that we couldn’t offer until a few years ago, so we’re very excited. We’re trying to get it out so women and their providers will be aware of it. “
The CO2 laser procedure is currently available at the Sanford Southpointe Clinic in Fargo, North Dakota and the Sanford Women’s Health Plaza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
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Posted in Fargo, Gynecology, Midlife, Sioux Falls, Women
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source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/vaginal-rejuvenation-provides-relief-for-painful-symptoms/
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