Laparoscopic Excision Versus Ablation for Endometriosis-Associated Pain

This systematic review and meta-analysis examines and compares endometriosis-associated pain in women who have undergone laparoscopic excision versus ablation as a treatment for their endometriosis. Both laparoscopic excision and ablation have been utilized as methods of surgical management for women who fail conservative medical therapies; however, it is unclear if one technique is superior to the other in decreasing endometriosis-associated pain. This meta-analysis includes 2 randomized controlled trials that examine dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dyschezia, and chronic pelvic pain scores in patients before and after undergoing each type of surgery and concludes that laparoscopic excision of endometriosis is superior to ablation in all of these aspects.