The impact of coccygectomy on sexual and social function in females with chronic coccygodynia: a cohort study investigation the impact of coccygectomy using patient reported outcome after one and two years

STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study. INTRODUCTION: Coccydynia is a painful condition affecting primary women, while sitting, prolonged standing and during defecation and intercourse. The condition can appear secondary to trauma, childbirth or spontaneous. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of coccygectomy on sexual and social function in females with persistent coccygodynia. METHODS: From the national Danish spine database, DaneSpine, female patients who had coccygectomy performed due to persistent pain and reported preoperative impaired sexual function treated between 2011 and 2022 at a single spine-center who had complete pre-op, one- and two-year post-operative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were identified. ODI item 8 (ODI8) regarding Sex Life, and item 9 (ODI9) regarding Social Function were investigated as the outcome measure. RESULTS: 199 female patients were operated of whom 91 (45.7%) reported pain during intercourse prior to surgery and were included in the analysis. Mean age at the time of surgery was 40.4 years. A significant improvement in their ODI8 score was seen from pre-op (2.01 ± 1.3) to one year after surgery (0.85 ± 1.3, p < 0.001). The ODI9 score for social function showed a significant improvement from 2.12 ± 1.0 preoperative to 0.99 ± 1.2 one-year postoperative (< 0.001). CONCLUSION: In female patients with persistent coccygodynia, coccygectomy improves sexual and social function one and two years after surgery. ETHICS: The study was conducted according to Danish Data Protection Agency (trial registration number 16/1586) and approved by the Research board at Center for Spine Surgery and Research, Lillebelt Hospital. Prior to inclusion, each patient gave written informed consent for research use and publication of their data.