Láser vaginal de dióxido de carbono como tratamiento del síndrome genitourinario en la menopausia

Abstract

Antecedents: Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is considered a severe gynecological problem due to its prevalence and negative impact on women's health, sexual function, and quality of life. Vaginal carbon dioxide laser treatment seems to be helpful in alleviating the symptoms of this syndrome; however, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States does not endorse its usage. Some studies indicate that it is an excellent therapeutic alternative for the future. Objective: To know the benefits of carbon dioxide vaginal laser therapy on the symptoms of genitourinary syndrome in menopausal women, and the adverse effects. Methodology: An exhaustive literature review was carried out in databases such as; PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, applying the following terms found in DeCS/MeSH in English: “Menopause,” “Lasers,” “Gas” with the Boolean operator: “AND,” to retrieve and select scientific articles according to the subject, objectives, inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Most studies that evaluated vaginal symptoms using the Visual Analog Scale and Vaginal Health Index questionnaires demonstrated statistically significant improvements. On the other hand, half of the reviewed studies demonstrated a significant improvement in sexual symptoms, which were evaluated by the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire. Most adverse effects were reported as mild. Conclusion: CO2 vaginal laser is an alternative, safe, preliminary effective and beneficial treatment improving vaginal and sexual symptoms of MGS in menopausal women in the short term, especially for women suffering from different types of gynecological cancer. However, it is necessary to understand the long-term outcomes