Short-term effects of an erbium/neodymium laser combination in superficial dyspareunia: a pilot study

Abstract

Objective: This prospective pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of associating a neodymium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Nd:YAG) laser with a vaginal erbium laser (VEL), as a non-ablative photothermal therapy for superficial dyspareunia in postmenopausal women (PMW) suffering from genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Methods: Two groups of sexually active PMW reporting superficial dyspareunia were selected: one (15 patients, VEL) was treated using an erbium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet laser crystal (XS Fotona SMOOTH; Fotona, Ljubljana, Slovenia) with a wavelength of 2940 nm; in the other group (15 patients, VEL + Nd:YAG) this treatment was followed by Nd:YAG laser (Fotona SP Dynamis, PIANO mode) treatment. Treatment consisted of three laser applications at 30-day intervals. Symptoms were assessed before, after each laser application and after 1 and 3 months from the end of the treatment, using the subjective visual analog scale (VAS) for superficial dyspareunia. Results: Both groups showed a rapid and significant improvement of superficial dyspareunia over time (p < 0.001) independently from age and years since menopause. The VEL + Nd:YAG group showed a greater improvement of superficial dyspareunia (p < 0.001); this difference was evident since the first treatment and remained stable over time. Conclusions: The addition of Nd:YAG to VEL may induce greater improvement in superficial dyspareunia in PMW with GSM.