Electrocoagulation of experimental endometriosis at different power in rats

Objective To investigate the proper meth od and power of unipolar electrocoagulation in treatment of endometriosis. Methods Endometriosis was induced in 40 mature female rats by transplantation of endometrium on the peritoneum. Five weeks later, all the rats were laparotomized and divided into 8 groups according to different treatments and the time of examination:untreated groups (A', A groups), groups with samples taken immediately (B,C,D groups) accepted unipolar electrocoagulation with power of 15 W, 30 W and 60 W respectively and groups with samples taken three weeks later(B',C',D'groups).The operation of electrocoagulation was to switch on the electrode probe first and then coagulate the implant, or fulguration was created before coagulation. The implants were stained by hemaloxylin-eosin and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)activity. After the electrocoagulated implants was cut off, peritoneum of B group was electrocoagulated according to the method above, while in group C, the probe was placed on the peritoneum before switching on. Both power and time were identical. Results For samples taken immediately, electrocoagulation at three different powers could destroy the activity of endometriosis, while tissue destruction increased with increasing power. For those taken three weeks later, endometriosis could also be remitted completely at different three powers and there was no LDH activity. The brown char appeared at the contacted tissue with electrode in group B, whereas only white mark in group C; the temperature of the rats back became higher significantly in group C than in group B. Conclusion The proper method of electrocoagulation is to power the electrode first, then coagulate. Electrocoagulation of endometriosis at a low power is as effective as that at a high one but more safe.