Cosmetic gynecology in the view of evidence-based medicine and ACOG recommendations: A review

摘要

Objective: To conduct a methodological review of existing scientific literature within the field of cosmetic gynecology in view of evidence-based medicine and to establish their relevance to the ACOG Committee Opinion No. 378. Study design: Appropriate medical terms were searched in multiple databases from the Internet for the period 1900-January 2010. Articles focusing on cosmetic gynecology were reviewed. In addition, anecdotal and advertising literatures were analyzed. A methodological review of the literature was conducted. Results: In peer-reviewed journals, there were 72 relevant articles related to cosmetic gynecology. There was anecdotal information from three sources and more than 1,100 articles from published marketing literature on the Internet, but no scientific journals. Among reviewed articles on cosmetic gynecology, only two articles met the level II-2 in evidence-based medicine. The absence of documentations on the safety and effectiveness of cosmetic vaginal procedures in the scientific literatures was ACOG's main concern. Conclusions: Practicing cosmetic gynecology within ACOG recommendations is desirable and possible. Currently, the standard of practice of cosmetic gynecology cannot be determined due to the absence of the documentation on safety and effectiveness. Traditional gynecologic surgical procedures cannot be called cosmetic procedures, since it is a deceptive form of practice and marketing. Creating medical terminology trademarks and establishing a business model that tries to control clinical-scientific knowledge dissemination is unethical.