Dysesthetic vulvodynia - Long term follow-up after treatment with surface electromyography-assisted pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term follow-up status of dysesthetic vulvo dynia patients who were asymptomatic at the termination of treatment using surface electromyography (sEMG)-assisted pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation . STUDY DESIGN: A chart review of the years 1994-1996 identified 62 patients with a diagnosis of dysesthetic vulvodynia on initial evaluation and who we re asymptomatic at the termination of treatment. Forty-three of these patie nts responded to a survey re questing information on their pain, maintenanc e activities and treatments, daily functioning and sexual status since trea tment- termination. RESULTS: Thirty-eight of the 43 patients (88.4%) reported experiencing Mo v ulvar pain since completion of treatment. Three patients reported a single episode of pain, and two patients reported two episodes each. Ail five of t hese patients reported the absence of airy vulvar pain for a mean period of 19.8 months prior to completion of the survuey. One hundred percent of the 43 dysesthetic vulvodynia patients studied reported being pain free a mean of 39.5 months after successful treatment termination No vulvar pain-relat ed treatments or significant restrictions on daily activities were reported . All patients reported sexual interest, pleasure and activity. CONCLUSION: Surface electromyography-assisted pelvic floor muscle rehabilit ation is an effective and long-tern cure for dysesthetic vulvodynia.