Endometriosis: Electrocauterization in rats of experimentally induced endometriosis at a low temperature

Endometriosis was induced in 40 mature female rats by means of transplantation of endometrium on the peritoneum near the ovary. Three weeks later, all the rats were laparotomized and they were randomized into four groups according to treatment; an untreated group and three groups with electrocauterization at different temperatures. Three weeks after these treatments, they were again subjected to laparotomy and the implants were examined for their size, histology and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. In the untreated group, the size of the implants was increased significantly. Electrocauterization at a high temperature (about 300 degrees C) was enough to destroy all the endometriosis and no LDH activity was observed. Electrocauterization at a low temperature (70 or 85 degrees C) with newly developed bipolar forceps also revealed complete remission of endometriosis and there was no LDH activity in all the transplantation sites examined. These results indicate that the electrocauterization of endometriosis at a low temperature is safe and as effective as that at a high temperature.