Follow-up report on a randomized controlled trial of laser laparoscopy in the treatment of pelvic pain associated with minimal to moderate endometriosis

C J Sutton, Sutton CJ, Chris Sutton, Andrew S. Pooley, A S Pooley, Pooley AS, Ewen SP, Simon P. Ewen, S P Ewen, Patricia Haines, P Haines, Haines P
Fertility and Sterility · 1997 · vol. 68(6) , pp. 1070–1074 · doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(97)00403-2 · PMID:9418699 · W2090207429
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This randomized controlled trial evaluated laser laparoscopy for pelvic pain associated with minimal to moderate endometriosis, reporting on its effectiveness.

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the longer term efficacy of laparoscopic laser surgery in the treatment of painful pelvic endometriosis and to observe the natural history of the disease at second-look laparoscopy in a control group.DesignOne-year follow-up of a prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled trial.SettingA referral center for the laparoscopic laser treatment of endometriosis.Patient(s)Sixty-three patients with pelvic pain and minimal to moderate endometriosis.Intervention(s)After the 6-month follow-up visit, the randomization code was broken, and follow-up was continued to 1 year. Symptomatic patients were offered second-look laser laparoscopy.Main outcome measure(s)Continued symptom relief at 1 year after treatment and findings at second-look laparoscopy in symptomatic controls.Result(s)Symptom relief continued at 1 year in 90% of those who initially responded. All symptomatic controls had a second-look procedure, with 7 (29%) showing disease progression, 7 (29%) showing disease regression, and 10 (42%) having static disease.Conclusion(s)The benefits of laser laparoscopy for painful pelvic endometriosis are continued in the majority of patients at 1 year. Untreated painful endometriosis will progress or remain static in the majority of patients but will spontaneously improve in others.

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Condition tags

endometriosischronic_pelvic_pain

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Laparoscopy Laser Therapy Laser Therapy Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain Adult Double-Blind Method Endometriosis Female Follow-Up Studies Humans Pelvic Pain Prospective Studies Reoperation Severity of Illness Index Treatment Outcome

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