In some cases, the damage to the vagina, its walls, and support tissues may be more extensive than what vaginal rejuvenation can fix. This can affect the pelvic organ support, including the rectum, bladder, and uterus. Symptoms of this problem can include:
- Passing stool with sexual intercourse
- Manual expression of stool
- Need to support perineum during bowel movements
- Stress urinary incontinence, including urinary loss with coughing, sex, exercise, sneezing, and laughing
A tighter vagina may improve many of the above concerns, and vaginoplasty is a reconstructive treatment that can help. Patients are often unaware that a loose vaginal wall is a true medical condition that needs to be addressed for better pelvic and sexual health, and can be addressed with a vaginal tightening procedure.
Surgical vaginal tightening is considered after a patient has tried non-surgical vaginal tightening methods including Kegel exercises, electrical stimulation, and pelvic floor trainers. When these have proven unsuccessful, patients may consider surgical options.
Dr. Gandhi can help by providing patients with labiaplasty and vaginal rejuvenation. Some of these are performed to help improve the cosmetic appeal of the vaginal area, while other times they are done to improve clitoral stimulation, genital sensation, infections, or scarring.
During the initial consultation appointment and examination, Dr. Gandhi asks patients about their medical history and background, and performs an examination of the vaginal area to determine the severity of the condition. When patients are experiencing incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, they may be a perfect candidate for this surgical procedure. Patients who may be having more children may require further surgery afterwards to reconstruct and tighten the vagina if damage occurs.
Vaginoplasty allows Dr. Gandhi to tighten the vaginal muscles during this inpatient procedure that may require a 24-hour hospital stay. It is performed under general or local anesthesia in one hour, and requires approximately one week of recovery. Patients can typically return to work approximately seven days after surgery, though they may still experience tenderness and swelling of the vaginal wall during this time. Intercourse should be avoided for approximately one month to six weeks after the surgery.