(068) HIGH PREVALENCE OF SYMPTOMATIC CLITORAL ADHESIONS IN PATIENTS WITH NEUROPROLIFERATIVE VESTIBULODYNIA UNDERGOING VESTIBULECTOMY
Authors: Goldstein SW , Goldstein I 
Published: December 2024

Introduction

In a previous study of 614 evaluable individuals with vulvas who presented to our sexual medicine clinic for various sexual dysfunctions, 23% demonstrated clitoral adhesions based on vulvoscopy with photography. Clitoral adhesions occur when the epithelial skin surfaces of the prepuce and glans clitoris become adherent. The severity of clitoral adhesions is best documented during full prepucial retraction using vulvoscopy with photography; mild, moderate and severe clitoral adhesions occur when there is &gt;75%, 25–75%, and &lt; 25% visualization of the glans clitoris, respectively. Clitoral adhesions are associated with inadequate clearance of keratinaceous sloughed material from the epithelial surfaces of the prepuce and glans clitoris. This trapped material may form keratin pearls resulting in local inflammation and glans hypersensitivity/pain. In the previous study, patients had mild (44%), moderate (34%), and severe (22%) clitoral adhesions, with 14% patients having complaints of clitoral hypersensitivity/pain. In individuals who presented with entry dyspareunia, severe allodynia, and hyperalgesia who underwent complete vestibulectomy for clinically suspected neuroproliferative vestibulodynia (NPV), we observed both symptomatic and asymptomatic clitoral adhesions. Patients could opt to have lysis of clitoral adhesions performed at the time of vestibulectomy.

Objective

To examine the association between clitoral adhesions and NPV.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of patients with NPV who underwent vestibulectomy and lysis of clitoral adhesions concomitantly between January 1, 2021 and October 31, 2023 was performed. History, physical examination, pre-op vulvoscopy with photographs, operative records and patient outcome data were collected.

Results

Sixty-three patients with NPV, (mean age 29, range 19– 64 years), underwent vestibulectomy surgery. A total of 34 (54%) of these patients underwent concomitant lysis of mild (38%), moderate (50%), or severe (12%) clitoral adhesions. In 91% of cases, multiple keratin pearls were removed. More than half (53%) of these patients with NPV and clitoral adhesions complained of glans hypersensitivity/pain during pre-operative vulvoscopy. The majority (88%) of this cohort reported “somewhat better” or “very much better” on PGI-I after lysis of adhesions. No negative side effects following the lysis of clitoral adhesions were noted.

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of symptomatic clitoral adhesions in patients with NPV (53%) compared to the total population of individuals with vulvas who presented to our sexual medicine clinic for sexual concerns (14%). While clitoral adhesions are not always symptomatic, we hypothesize that the high prevalence in patients with NPV may be due one or more of the following: i) pain/stress resulting in peripheral nerves releasing neurotransmitters that stimulate proliferation/differentiation of prepucial sebaceous glands and upregulate prepucial sebaceous cell lipid synthesis, ii) infrequency of clitoral tissue engorgement from sexual activity, iii) limitation or aversion to touching or retracting clitoral prepucial tissue, iv) increased frequency of wearing menstrual pads rather than tampons, v) severe genital pain perceived as co-existing in both vestibule and clitoris and vi) surgery already scheduled for NPV so performing lysis of clitoral adhesions while under anesthesia was convenient. Clinicians should be aware of this high association.

Disclosure

No.