Endometriosis Treatment
Endometriosis, is a common health problem in women. It gets its name from the word endometrium, the tissue that normally lines the uterus or womb. Endometriosis happens when this tissue grows outside of your uterus and on other areas in your body where it doesn’t belong. Most often, endometriosis is found on the:
- Ovaries
- Fallopian tubes
- Tissues that hold the uterus in place
- Outer surface of the uterus
Other sites for growths can include the vagina, cervix, vulva, bowel, bladder, or rectum.
Symptoms:
- Pain – This is the most common symptom. Women with endometriosis may have many different kinds of pain. These include:
- Very painful menstrual cramps. The pain may get worse over time.
- Chronic (long-term) pain in the lower back and pelvis
- Pain during or after sex.
- Intestinal pain
- Painful bowel movements or pain when urinating during menstrual periods.
- Bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods.
- Infertility
- Stomach (digestive) problems – These include diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or nausea, especially during menstrual periods.
Diagnosis:
- Pelvic exam – During a pelvic exam, your doctor will feel for large cysts or scars behind your uterus.
- Imaging test. Your doctor may do an ultrasound to check for ovarian cysts from endometriosis.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is another common imaging test that can make a picture of the inside of your body.
Laparoscopy to diagnose and treat:
Surgery is usually chosen for severe symptoms, when hormones are not providing relief or if you are having fertility problems. During the operation, the surgeon can locate any areas of endometriosis and may remove the endometriosis patches.
Research has shown that laparoscopic surgery can improve the chance of pregnancy and reduce pain. For surgery to treat endometriosis, one or two further small incisions may be made on the abdomen. This is for the introduction of other instruments required for holding tissues, destroying or removing endometriosis, washing/cooling tissues, sucking out smoke, blood and/or washing fluid. At the end of the operation, the small cuts will be closed with a stitch, tape or glue. The stitches will either dissolve or can be removed after a few days.
The aim of the surgery is to:
- destroy or remove areas of endometriosis
- destroy or remove ovarian endometriotic cysts, by cutting away or excising the cyst wall (capsule) or
- opening the cyst, draining the chocolate fluid and destroying the capsule
- divide adhesions to free tissues or improve fertility
Excision Surgery:
This involves actually cutting out areas of endometriosis using either scissors or lasers.
Helical Thermal Coagulator:
This uses Helium gas and a small electric current to dry out endometriosis using a process called fulguration.
Harmonic Scalpel/CUSA (cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator):
These are devices with a vibration tip and can be used in the treatment of endometriosis.