Effects of osteopathic manipulative therapy on recurrent pelvic pain and dyspareunia in women after surgery for endometriosis: a retrospective study

Carlo Alboni, Simona Melegari, S. Melegari, Ludovica Camacho Mattos, Antonino Farulla
Minerva obstetrics and gynecology · 2023 · vol. 76(3) , pp. 264–271 · doi:10.23736/s2724-606x.23.05351-4 · PMID:37997320 · W4388979051
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This retrospective study found that osteopathic manipulative treatment significantly reduced chronic pelvic pain and dyspareunia in women experiencing persistent symptoms after endometriosis surgery.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Surgical removal of deep infiltrating endometriosis is frequently associated with improvement in symptoms. However, because of the complex pathogenesis of pain in endometriosis that includes central sensitization and myofascial dysfunction, symptoms can persist after surgery. The aim of the present observational study is to explore the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in reducing persistent pelvic pain and dyspareunia in a sample of symptomatic women surgically treated for endometriosis. METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis of 69 patients treated with OMT, for persistent myofascial pain, chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and dyspareunia after surgical eradication of endometriosis. Surgical, clinical and osteopathic reports were retrospectively analyzed in a chart review. Osteopathic interventions included myofascial release, balanced ligamentous/membranous tension and indirect fluidic technique. RESULTS: During the study period 345 patients underwent surgery for symptomatic endometriosis. Among them, 97 patients (28.1%) complained of post-operative persistent CPP and dyspareunia and 69 patients underwent osteopathic treatment. OMT reports showed a significant improvement of the symptoms after the first OMT session. Particularly, lower scores of CPP (mean NRS 4±4.2 vs. 0.2±0.7, P value. CONCLUSIONS: OMT, breaking the cycle of pain and normalizing the musculoskeletal pelvic activity, could be a successful technique to treat persistent chronic pain in women surgically treated for endometriosis.

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Outcome instruments

NRS-pain

Condition tags

mesh:D004414mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosisdie_deep_infiltratingchronic_pelvic_paindyspareunia

MeSH descriptors

Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Manipulation, Osteopathic

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (39)

Cited by (2)

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