Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America

A novel presentation of endometriosis is described in which the lesion is identified within the brim or floor of peritoneal pockets located within a crescentic band in the posterior pelvis. The predictability of these peritoneal pockets and…

Although association between moderate or severe endometriosis and infertility is fairly well established, the link between lesser disease stages and infertility is more tenuous. The proposed mechanisms underlying this association are review…

The likelihood of developing endometriosis can thus be viewed as a quantitative phenomenon--that is, the probability of having large amounts of endometrium delivered to the peritoneal cavity and the inherent ability of the pelvic tissues to…

Modifications of the native gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) decapeptide have led to longer-acting compounds with increased binding ability. Pharmacologic doses of agonists result in suppression of ovarian estradiol production to level…

Hormonal therapy has long been the mainstay of the medical management of endometriosis. However, there is considerable confusion regarding the appropriate application of hormones in the treatment of endometriosis. This article critically re…

Advances in operative laparoscopy have been useful in the treatment of pelvic endometriosis. While these advances have not yet led to improved pregnancy rates, they have decreased the cost and morbidity of surgery for endometriosis.

In the context of the pathophysiology of endometriosis, the technology of IVF-ET and GIFT appears to offer a promising alternative for infertility associated with endometriosis in situations refractory to conventional medical or surgical th…

Surgical treatment is an important option in treatment of all stages of endometriosis. Surgical options of operative laparoscopy, lasers, laparotomy technique, and perioperative medical treatment are discussed in the contexts of both publis…

Endometriosis appears to be a systemic disease with alterations in both humoral and cell-mediated immunity. An immune defect may allow ectopic implantation of the endometrial cells with subsequent development of autoantibodies.

The recent heightened interest in endometriosis has led to remarkable progress in the elucidation of the pathophysiology of this enigmatic disease. Presently, it is not clear why some individuals with endometriosis develop infertility and p…

Urogenital atrophy in the postmenopausal or castrated woman is common with a multifactorial etiology and a varied clinical presentation. The effects of age and estrogen deprivation are, at times, poorly separable. Estrogen replacement may b…