10 April 2012
At the conference Ivan Fistonić, MD, PhD, of the Zagreb Gynecology Clinic in Croatia, gave a lecture on "Laser treatment for early stages of static urinary incontinence in women". The initial findings and results of Dr. Fistonić's two year-long ongoing pilot study in which he uses a Fotona laser reveal that the Er:YAG laser effectively tightens the vaginal mucosa and endopelvic fascia to give greater support to the bladder. The procedure takes only 15 minutes and 70% of patients in his pilot study were completely dry after 3 months. The effectiveness was measured by both subjective (ICIQ-UI) and objective tools (perineometric measurements of pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance, and "Q-tip" cotton swab angle measurement). Out of more than 80 patients treated by dr. Fistonić there was a 97% patient satisfaction rate.
Dr Fistonić is also working on another pilot study using a Fotona laser to treat patients with Vaginal Relaxation Syndrome. He uses the Fotona Er:YAG laser to tighten the vaginal canal and to stimulate collagen remodeling and the synthesis of new collagen fibers. Results of his pilot study show that an average shrinkage of 17% was achieved in all patients.
Gynecology treatments that can be performed with Fotona lasers include removal of cervical, vulvar and vaginal neoplasia, removal of benign lesions and pigmentations, laparotomy, laparoscopic and histeroscopic Tx, soft-tissue coagulation, vaporization, incision/excision. The positive results dr. Fistonić is getting with his ongoing pilot studies for the use of Fotona lasers for Stress Urinary Incontinence and Laser Vaginal Tightening, show great potential for future gynecology applications of Fotona lasers.
