Laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis—Clinical study

Henri Lahdemaki; Markku Santala; Markku Ryynanen

doi:10.4236/ojog.2013.39122

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Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecolog... > Vol.3 No.9, November 2013

Laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis—Clinical study ()

Henri Lahdemaki, Markku Santala, Markku Ryynanen

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.

DOI: 10.4236/ojog.2013.39122 PDF HTML 3,768 Downloads 5,036 Views

Abstract

Objective: To examine the laparoscopic findings in patients with suspicion of endometriosis. Study Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oulu, Finland. Sample: First-time laparoscopy, without any known surgical diagnosis, was made in 53 consecutive patients between January 2006 and November 2011. Main Outcome Measures: The laparoscopic findings, staging of endometriosis, the percentages of different symptoms linked with endometriosis. Results: Laparoscopy revealed endometriosis in 40% of cases. Most frequent symptoms were dysmenorrhea (86%) and dyspareunia (81%) followed with vibration pain (71%), urinary symptoms (29%) and lowered fertility (24%). Only 5% of patients with endometriosis complained of bowel symptoms, which were significantly more common in patients without endometriosis (28%) (p = 0.034). The median interval between the onset of symptoms and laparoscopic diagnosis was 1.9 years (SD 3.2, range 0.6 - 11). Conclusions: The interval between the onset of symptoms and laparoscopic diagnosis is short reflecting the prompt availability of the necessary facilities in specialist health care. Finally laparoscopy seems to be safe in cases of endometriosis suspicion.

Keywords

Endometriosis; Diagnostic Laparoscopy; Abdominal Pain; Pelvic Pain

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Lahdemaki, H. , Santala, M. and Ryynanen, M. (2013) Laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis—Clinical study. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 3, 668-672. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2013.39122.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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