Quality of sex life in endometriosis patients with deep dyspareunia before and after laparoscopic treatment

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Laparoscopic treatment for endometriosis in women with deep dyspareunia significantly reduced pain and improved sexual function, including increased coitus and orgasm, six months post-surgery.

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This study evaluated how deep dyspareunia affects sex life in women of fertile age with clinically and instrumentally diagnosed pelvic endometriosis, using a pre- and post-laparoscopic surgery questionnaire in a selected subgroup of 67 patients out of a 320-woman cohort. After laparoscopic surgical treatment, dyspareunia severity measured by VAS decreased significantly at 6 months, and sex life improved significantly, including more coituses and more non-difficult coituses, greater proportions of patients reporting pain did not diminish sexual pleasure, and more patients achieving orgasm. The authors note the key caveat that outcomes are based on only a selected subset undergoing surgery rather than the full cohort, and on questionnaire data at a single 6-month time point. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — specifically, it links endometriosis-associated deep dyspareunia with quality of sex life before and after laparoscopic treatment.

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Abstract

PurposeThe present work aims at showing how dyspareunia linked to endometriosis can affect the life of fertile age women and how surgical treatment of endometriosis can relieve painful symptoms and consequently improve sex and social life.MethodsFrom a cohort of 320 women with a clinical and instrumental diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis, 67 patients were selected. These patients had deep dyspareunia that underwent laparoscopic surgical treatment. All the patients had filled out a pre- and post-surgery questionnaire.ResultsSix months after laparoscopic treatment, a significant reduction of dyspareunia was recorded, per VAS scores. A statistically significant improvement in sex life was observed between the pre- and post-surgical condition: in particular, an increased number of coituses and of non-difficult coituses, a higher number of patients who declared that pain did not negatively affect sexual pleasure and of patients achieving orgasm.ConclusionsThe quality of the sex life in patients with endometriosis and dyspareunia showed significant improvement 6 months after laparoscopic treatment. In view of the diagnostic delay characterizing this disease and confirmed by our results, it is essential to involve a multidisciplinary team to assess all the signs and symptoms of endometriosis that may appear in a women of fertile age. This clinical approach is able to ensure a treatment that is as personalized as possible and an appropriate follow-up also with the objective of preserving reproductive performance.
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Abstract

Purpose The present work aims at showing how dyspareunia linked to endometriosis can affect the life of fertile age women and how surgical treatment of endometriosis can relieve painful symptoms and consequently improve sex and social life.

Methods

From a cohort of 320 women with a clinical and instrumental diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis, 67 patients were selected. These patients had deep dyspareunia that underwent laparoscopic surgical treatment. All the patients had filled out a pre- and post-surgery questionnaire.

Results

Six months after laparoscopic treatment, a significant reduction of dyspareunia was recorded, per VAS scores. A statistically significant improvement in sex life was observed between the pre- and post-surgical condition: in particular, an increased number of coituses and of non-difficult coituses, a higher number of patients who declared that pain did not negatively affect sexual pleasure and of patients achieving orgasm.

Conclusions

The quality of the sex life in patients with endometriosis and dyspareunia showed significant improvement 6 months after laparoscopic treatment. In view of the diagnostic delay characterizing this disease and confirmed by our results, it is essential to involve a multidisciplinary team to assess all the signs and symptoms of endometriosis that may appear in a women of fertile age. This clinical approach is able to ensure a treatment that is as personalized as possible and an appropriate follow-up also with the objective of preserving reproductive performance. Similar content being viewed by others

References

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Arch Gynecol Obstet [Epub ahead of print] Angioni S, Pontis A, Dessole M, Surico D, De Cicco Nardone C, Melis I (2015) Pain control and quality of life after laparoscopic en-block resection of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) vs incomplete surgical treatment with or without GnRHa administration after surgery. Arch Gynecol Obstet 291(2):363–370 Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank Mr. Lucio Morettini for the statistical interpretation of the data. Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Ethics declarations Conflict of interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Lukic, A., Di Properzio, M., De Carlo, S. et al. Quality of sex life in endometriosis patients with deep dyspareunia before and after laparoscopic treatment. Arch Gynecol Obstet 293, 583–590 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-015-3832-9 Received: Accepted: Published: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-015-3832-9

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Condition tags

dyspareuniaendometriosischronic_pelvic_pain

MeSH descriptors

Dyspareunia Endometriosis Laparoscopy Pelvic Pain Quality of Life Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological Adult Coitus Delayed Diagnosis Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Follow-Up Studies Humans Laparoscopy Middle Aged Orgasm Pelvic Pain

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