Trial reportAdvances in therapy2019
Clinical and Psychological Outcomes of the Use of Vaginal Dilators After Gynaecological Brachytherapy: a Randomized Clinical Trial.
Trial report in Advances in therapy, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03090217 (Pelvic Physiotherapy in the Prevention of Vaginal Stenosis Secondary to Radiotherapy of Gynecological Cancer), which is not on this map. Cited by 13 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Pelvic Physiotherapy in the Prevention of Vaginal Stenosis Secondary to Radiotherapy of Gynecological Cancer: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 38 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cancer therapy-related vaginal toxicity: its prevalence and assessment methods-a systematic review.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Pelvic Floor Muscle and Education-Based Therapies on Bladder, Bowel, Vaginal, Sexual, Psychological Function, Quality of Life, and Pelvic Floor Muscle Function in Females Treated for Gynecological Cancer: A Systematic Review.Current oncology reports · 2024Pooled it
- Prevention and management of radiotherapy-related toxicities in gynecological malignancies. Position paper on behalf of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology).La Radiologia medica · 2024Guideline
- Post Treatment Sexual Function and Quality of Life of Patients Affected by Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Pooled it
- Interventions Preventing Vaginitis, Vaginal Atrophy after Brachytherapy or Radiotherapy Due to Malignant Tumors of the Female Reproductive Organs-A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Pooled it
- Sexual function in chronic illness and cancer perspectives of the patient, partner, and healthcare provider; innovations; and updates: recommendations from the Fifth International Consultation on Sexual Medicine (ICSM 2024).Sexual medicine reviews · 2026Review
- Epidemiology, etiology and treatment of female vaginal injury.Reproductive health · 2025Review
- A physical therapy program to treat late-effect vaginal stenosis in gynecological cancer survivors: An interventional study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Article
- Review
- Barriers to and facilitators of adherence to pelvic floor muscle exercises and vaginal dilator use among gynecologic cancer patients: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022Article
- A single-institution review of image-guided brachytherapy for vaginal malignancies using customized molded applicators and interstitial needles.Journal of contemporary brachytherapy · 2021Article
- Role of uterine manipulator during laparoscopic endometrial cancer treatment.Translational cancer research · 2020Review
- Vaginal stenosis and dilator use after pelvic brachytherapy.Revista CuidarteArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe aim of this study was to evaluate the dimensions of the vaginal canal in patients undergoing gynaecological brachytherapy and the effect of the use of vaginal dilators (VD) used in the follow-up of pelvic physiotherapy.
methodsA total of 88 patients were randomly allocated to the control group (CG) and intervention group (IG). Three evaluations were performed: pre-brachytherapy, post-brachytherapy and follow-up of 3 months. The CG received standard guidance from the health team while the IG was instructed to use VD for 3 months. The dimensions of the vaginal canal (main outcome) were defined by the length of the vagina (centimetres), width (number of full clockwise turns of the opening thread of a gynaecological speculum) and area (defined by the size of the VD). Quality of life and pelvic floor (PF) functionality were also evaluated.
resultsThere was no effect of the VD on vaginal length, width and area among the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. However, in the analysis stratified by adhesion, the CG had a significant decrease in the vaginal area. PF was predominantly hypoactive throughout the follow-up. Quality of life improved in both groups, but the reduction of constipation, vaginal dryness and stress urinary incontinence manifested only in the IG.
conclusionThe use of VD did not alter the dimensions of the vaginal canal within the first 3 months after the end of radiotherapy treatment. However, there was a large sample loss during follow-up so studies with a larger sample number and longer follow-up time need to be conducted.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03090217.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.