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End of Pelvic Pain New Lease on Life  Dr. Keith Reeves Obstetrician/Gynecologist The Methodist Hospital "When you have to use lidocaine and tell your husband to ‘hurry up and get ready; we only have a couple of minutes before the pain kicks in,' it's not exactly romantic or satisfying," the 57-year-old says. More than 40 years ago, Costlow used an IUD for birth control. Unfortunately, the device attached itself to her uterine wall, causing damage. Even more damage occurred when her doctor removed it. After undergoing a hysterectomy, she enjoyed a normal sex life with her husband until nearly 10 years ago when she began to experience vaginal pain.  Dr. Tue Dinh Plastic Surgeon The Methodist Hospital Doctors discovered that Costlow's bladder was falling and she needed surgery to reposition it. After two surgeries, the pain worsened. "I had to numb myself because when we had intercourse, it felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife," Costlow says. "Sex was an important part of our relationship, but every time we did it, the pain just got worse." Costlow's physician diagnosed her with a chronic bladder infection believed to be caused by the two bladder suspension surgeries. She then underwent a third surgery that was successful except for one thing: It left her with only 2½ inches of vagina. As a result, sex with her husband became so painful that they had to refrain. 
"I felt so bad. I know my husband would never have left me, but I felt like that part of our life was dying," Costlow says. "I wasn't ready for that. I felt I owed it to him to get this fixed."New Beginning There is a happy ending to this story. Costlow was referred to Tue Dinh, M.D., a plastic surgeon at The Methodist Hospital and the Methodist Center for Pelvic Restorative Medicine. After his first examination, Dinh conferred with Keith Reeves, M.D., a Methodist obstetrician/gynecologist and the center's founder. Together they developed a plan to help Costlow. "We have performed similar surgeries in the past, but this one was unusual because it was the result of scarring caused by previous surgeries," Reeves says. In a three-hour procedure, they cut out a flap from her vagina and pulled it forward and up. They then went through the space they created to access the bladder area where they removed scar tissue. Dinh then took a skin graft from Costlow's groin area and sewed it into the space in such a way as to create a vaginal canal of normal length. After about seven weeks of recovery, she was cleared to resume sexual relations with her husband. "I was nervous at first, and there was a little bit of pain that first try," Costlow explains. "But now sex is great. I knew there had to be someone who could help me." Help for Pelvic Pain Relief The Methodist Center for Pelvic Restorative Medicine offers medical, surgical and psychological treatment for pelvic disorders in women and men. It is the first of its kind in Houston. The center provides a multidisciplinary approach to restoring pelvic function. Gynecologists, urologists, colorectal surgeons and plastic surgeons work together to develop a customized treatment plan incorporating the most advanced options available. "Plastic surgery doesn't just create a beautiful appearance," Dinh says. "It can also bring beauty in a different way by improving a patient's quality of life."
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