Management of pelvic endometriosis by means of intraabdominal carbon dioxide laser

A significant number of patients with severe pelvic endometriosis are at risk of developing pelvic adhesions and/or loss of ovarian function. Although numerous surgical techniques have been advocated, none has any clear advantage over the others. This article presents a new surgical method for conservative management of pelvic endometriosis. The CO2 laser, directed via the microscope or the freehand piece of the articulated arm, was utilized to vaporize focal endometrial implants, to excise endometrial cysts, and to lyse pelvic adhesions in 54 patients. Fourteen of 23 patients (60.8%) attempting pregnancy have conceived at the time of this report. The observed advantages of laser surgery for endometriosis are a bloodless field, precision destruction (vaporization), precision cutting, and the ability to treat poorly accessible areas.