Friday, June 10, 2005

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition in which cells from the endometrium-or uterine lining-grow outside the uterus and adhere to other structures in the pelvis, most commonly the ovaries, bowel, fallopian tubes or bladder.

The most common symptoms of endometriosis are painful menstrual periods or non-cyclic pelvic pain. However, the type and intensity of symptoms vary greatly among women with endometriosis

Other symptoms may include:
*diarrhea and painful bowel movements especially during menstruation
*painful intercourse
*abdominal tenderness
*severe cramping

Endometriosis with scarring that distorts the anatomy of the pelvic organs may impair fertility. Even mild endometriosis can result in infertility. For normal couples, the chance of a pregnancy in any given month is about 15 to 20 percent. For couples in which the woman has endometriosis, the chance drops to two to 10 percent

Laparoscopy

Laparoscopy is the surgical treatment of choice for diagnosing and treating endometriosis. It involves inserting a lighted viewing instrument (laparoscope) through an incision below the navel so that the reproductive organs can be seen.

You should not eat or drink for at least 8 hours prior to the test.

The abdomen is inflated with gas (carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide). The gas is injected with a needle to push the abdominal wall away from the organs so that they can be seen clearly. The laparoscope is then inserted through the incision, and the internal organs are examined. Additional incisions may be used to insert instruments to move internal organs and structures for better viewing.

Laparoscopy is used to diagnose and treat endometriosis at the same time. When present, sites of endometriosis (implants) may be destroyed by laser beam or electric current (electrocautery) or cut away and removed during the laparoscopy.

Laparoscopy is usually done under general anesthesia, although a local or spinal anesthetic may be used. A gynecologist or surgeon performs the procedure.

The procedure may be done at an outpatient facility or you may have a hospital stay of 1 day. You can usually return to your normal activities in 1 to 2 weeks.

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