Long‐term cosmetic and quality of life outcomes after surgery for genital, anogenital, or urogenital injuries resulting from childhood sexual abuse: A scoping review

BACKGROUND: Although the physical, psychological, physiological, and sexual consequences of childhood sexual abuse have been extensively studied, there remains a gap in understanding with regard to the long-term impacts of restorative surgery following such trauma. OBJECTIVES: To identify and analyze studies that investigate the long-term cosmetic and quality of life outcomes resulting from genital, anogenital, or urogenital injuries following childhood sexual assault and reconstructive surgery. SEARCH STRATEGY: Conforming to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycInfo were searched. SELECTION CRITERIA: Eligible studies included female victims of childhood sexual violence occurring before the age of 10, who also underwent genital, urogenital, or anogenital reconstructive surgery. In addition, studies needed to report at least 6-month postoperative follow-up outcomes for inclusion in this review. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Patient demographics and long-term follow-up outcomes were extracted by two independent authors using Covidence. MAIN RESULTS: The search identified 962 articles, and 12 met the inclusion criteria. Most patients were dissatisfied with the cosmetic appearance of their external genitalia but satisfied with urinary and fecal continence. There was limited information on chronic pain, sexual and psychological impact of it. CONCLUSION: This scoping review underscored the absence of long-term and standardized follow-up protocols for individuals who undergo reconstructive surgery following childhood sexual abuse. Addressing this gap is crucial to effectively incorporate these data so as to improve personalized care and the assessment of long-term quality of life.