[The diagnostic value of celioscopy in the evaluation of chronic pelvic pain. Apropos of 184 cases]

The authors report on a retrospective study of 184 laparoscopies carried out assessing the aetiology of chronic pelvic pain. The population that was studied has a mean age of 28.8 years, with most of the patients being between 20 and 30 years of age. The mean length of the history of the pain was 51 1/2 months. 51% of the cases had pain of a rhythmical nature associated with the menstrual cycle, 11.3% of cases had deep dyspareunia and 37.7% of the cases had repeated attacks of pain. Previous gynaecological pathology was found in 30% of cases and previous pelvis surgery in 11.1% of cases. 41.5% of the population were multiparous. Laparoscopy was only performed after a full clinical and paraclinical examination. It showed the presence of: endometriosis in 22.2% of cases, pelvic adhesions in 17.4%, varicose veins in the pelvis in 11.4%, ovarian cysts in 6.5%, ovarian dystrophies in 3.2%, Masters and Allen syndrome in 3.8%, sub-serous fibroids in 2.1%.