PSYCHOSEXUAL DYSFUNCTION FOLLOWING GYNECOLOGICAL TUMOR SURGERY

The aim of this study was to investigate psychosexual sequelae of gyne cological tumor surgery and to review and discuss the available inform ation regarding this topic in the world literature. The survey was und ertaken among 83 patients treated for gynecological tumor at the Depar tment for Gynecological Oncology of the University Medical School in Z agreb, Croatia between 1985 and 1987. The follow-up period after surge ry ranged from one to three years in all patients. The follow-up perio d after surgery ranged from one to three years in all patients. The ma in changes in psychosexual functioning after surgery in the studied gr oup of patients, in comparison to the period before the diagnosis, wer e noted regarding satisfaction with sexual life in general (p<0.05), e njoyment during the intercourse (p<0.001), and frequency of the interc ourse (p<0.001) and orgasm (p<0.001). The portion of women complaining about the pain during the intercourse did not significantly differ (p >0.05). The operated women felt that no significant changes occurred i n their partner's sexual behavior (p>0.05), reaction to their illness (p>0.05), support and love (p>0.05), and willingness to discuss their mutual sexlife (p>0.05). It was interesting to find out that 61% of th e examinees felt that males fared better in life before surgery, in co mparison to 67% after surgery (p>0.05). Furthermore, as many as 30.5% of the already operated examinees stated that they would chose to be a male if they could, in contrast to only 15.9% of examinees before the diagnosis was established (p<0.05).