IMPORTANCE Postmenopausal vaginal symptoms are common and frequently detrimental to a woman's quality of life. Fractional carbon dioxide vaginal laser is increasingly offered as a treatment, but the efficacy remains unproven.OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of fractional carbon dioxide laser for treatment of vaginal symptoms associated with menopause. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSA double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial with 12-month follow-up was undertaken at a single tertiary referral hospital in Sydney, Australia. Enrollment commenced on September 19, 2016, with final follow-up on June 30, 2020. Participants were postmenopausal women with vaginal symptoms substantive enough to seek medical treatment. Of 232 participants approached, 85 were randomized.INTERVENTIONS Three treatments using a fractional microablative carbon dioxide laser system performed 4 to 8 weeks apart, with 43 women randomized to the laser group and 42 to the sham group. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe co-primary outcomes were symptom severity assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS; range, 0-100; 0 indicates no symptoms and 100 indicates the most severe symptoms) and the Vulvovaginal Symptom Questionnaire (VSQ; range, 0-20; 0 indicates no symptoms and 20 indicates the most severe symptoms) at 12 months. The minimal clinically important difference was specified as a 50% decrease in both VAS and VSQ severity scores. There were 5 prespecified secondary outcomes, including quality of life (range, 0-100; higher scores indicate better quality of life), the Vaginal Health Index Score (range, 5-25; higher scores indicate better health), and vaginal histology (premenopausal or postmenopausal status). RESULTSOf 85 randomized participants (mean [SD] age, 57 [8] years), 78 (91.7%) completed the 12-month follow-up. From baseline to 12 months, there was no significant difference between the carbon dioxide laser group and the sham group in change in symptom severity (VAS score for overall vaginal symptoms: -17.2 vs -26.6; difference, 9.4 [95% CI, -28.6 to 47.5]; VAS score for the most severe symptom: -24.5 vs -20.4; difference -4.1 [95% CI, -32.5 to 24.3]; VSQ score: -3.1 vs -1.6; difference, -1.5 [95% CI, -5.9 to 3.0]). There were no significant differences between the laser and sham group in the mean quality of life score (6.3 vs 1.4; difference, 4.8 [95% CI, -3.9 to 13.5]) and Vaginal Health Index Score (0.9 vs 1.3; difference, -0.4 [95% CI, -4.3 to 3.6]) or in histological comparisons between laser and sham treatment groups. There were 16 adverse events in the laser group and 17 in the sham group, including vaginal pain/discomfort (44% vs 68%), spotting, discharge, and lower urinary tract symptoms. No severe adverse events were reported in either group.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among women with postmenopausal vaginal symptoms, treatment with fractional carbon dioxide laser vs sham treatment did not significantly improve vaginal symptoms after 12 months.

To compare rates of urinary retention and postoperative urinary tract infection between women with immediate versus women with delayed removal of indwelling catheter following benign non-hysterectomy gynaecological laparoscopic surgery. Design: This randomised clinical trial was conducted between February 2012 and December 2019, with follow-up to 6 weeks. Setting: Two university-affiliated teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Population: Study participants were 693 women aged 18 years or over, undergoing non-hysterectomy laparoscopy for benign gynaecological conditions, excluding pelvic floor or concomitant bowel surgery. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-five participants were randomised to immediate removal of urinary catheter and 338 participants were randomised to delayed removal of urinary catheter. Main outcome measures:The co-primary outcomes were urinary retention and urinary tract infection. Secondary outcomes included hospital readmission, analgesia requirements, duration of hospitalisation and validated bladder function questionnaires. Results: Urinary retention was higher after immediate compared with delayed removal of the urinary catheter (8.2% vs 4.2%, RR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.0, p = 0.04). Although urinary tract infection was 7.2% following delayed removal of the urinary catheter and 4.7% following immediate removal of the urinary catheter, the difference was not statistically significant (RR 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.2, p = 0.2). Conclusions: There is an increased risk of urinary retention with the immediate compared with the delayed removal of the urinary catheter following benign non-hysterectomy gynaecological laparoscopic surgery. The difference in urinary tract infection was not significant. There is 1/12 risk of re-catheterisation after immediate urinary catheter removal. It is important to ensure that patients report normal voiding and emptying prior to discharge, to reduce the need for readmission for the management of urinary retention.

Background There is a finite volume of surgery performed annually by trainees and certified specialists alike. The detailed assessment of this surgical substrate is important, since it guides true exposure in gynaecological surgical training and practice after fellowship. Aims This study quantifies the volume and profile of major gynaecological surgical procedures performed in Australia within a specified five‐year period and discusses the implications for training and practice. Materials and Methods Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data were examined to quantify the total number of major gynaecological procedures performed between 2013 and 2018. Medicare data were analysed to quantify the number of billed procedures. These data were compared with published Australian RANZCOG trainees and operative gynaecologists, to estimate the potential annual average exposure for each procedure. Results Major open, laparoscopic and vaginal surgeries constitute less than 27% of the 600 000 gynaecological procedures performed annually in Australia. Most major gynaecological surgeries are performed at rates lower than 12 cases per year for both trainees and specialists. Over the study period, laparotomies, vaginal hysterectomies and continence procedures decreased, and operative laparoscopies and laparoscopic hysterectomies increased. Conclusions The volume of available major gynaecological procedures in Australia may not allow sufficient exposure for optimal training and practice for all trainees and specialists in operative gynaecology. This shortfall may compromise the ability to obtain and maintain proficiency in some core gynaecological operative procedures.