Surgical Treatment of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a medical condition in which the tissue lining the uterus grows outside it. Let us take a look at the symptoms and surgical treatment of endometriosis.The abnormal growth of the tissues lining the uterus outside it is knows as endometriosis. This tissue lining the uterus is called endometrial tissue. Endometriosis is one of the medical conditions that can cause infertility in females. In some cases this abnormal growth of endometrial tissue also takes place in the other parts of the body. Other than infertility, this condition can also cause a lot of discomfort to females. In this articleWhat are the symptoms of endometriosis?What is the surgical treatment of endometriosis?How successful is this treatment?What are the after effects of the surgery?How is endometriosis treated medically?What are the symptoms of endometriosis?Some women coping with endometriosis may not experience its symptoms at all. Here is the list of some of its common symptoms.Pain while having sexual intercourseHeavy bleeding during menstruationPainful menstrual periodsPain while passing urine and stoolsPrimarily this condition is treated using medical treatment. In case if the medical treatment is not successful, surgical treatment is opted. Given below are some details about the surgical treatment of endometriosis.What is the surgical treatment of endometriosis?If the endometriosis seems minor when a laparoscopy is performed, it is sometimes possible to destroy the endometriotic tissue immediately by careful diathermy. If the endometriosis is more severe or in areas where laparoscopic diathermy would be hazardous, a laparotomy (open abdominal surgery) will be indicated. All areas of endometriosis are carefully removed. This may even involve reconstruction of the ovaries. In severe cases, danazol is prescribed as an additional treatment to be taken for three months after the operation has been performed.How successful is this treatment?Most women get pregnant within a year of the conservative reconstructive surgery being performed. In the case of mild endometriosis, the pregnancy rate after surgery will be in the region of 60-70%. The more severe the condition, the lower the success rates. In the worst case scenario, probably only a third of the patients becoming pregnant. Sadly there will be some women whose endometriosis is so severe, and whose symptoms are causing them such misery, that treatment would require the removal of the uterus, tubes and ovaries.What are the after effects of the surgery?The after effects of the surgery can be noticed in very rare cases. There are very few chances of developing pelvic infection due to this surgery. Again in very rare cases problems like excessive bleeding, damage to bowel, bladder or uterus can also take place due to surgery.How is endometriosis treated medically?As mentioned above, before opting for surgery, medical treatment is carried out in order to deal with endometriosis. This medical treatment is known as menstrual suppression therapy. In this therapy endometriosis is treated by stopping the periods for some months in order to prevent the symptoms from occurring thereby regressing endometriosis. The treatment through this therapy may take 6 to 9 months and during this period conception cannot take place. This treatment cannot ensure the complete cure of the disorder.The exact cause of endometriosis is not known but experts say that hormonal, immunological and genetic factors can be responsible for it. It is also concluded by the experts that women with family history of endometriosis are more susceptible to it. Therefore, it is necessary for such women to be careful.Although, specific preventive measures cannot be taken, it is observed that using combination contraceptive pills can help to reduce the risk. You must consult a doctor before taking such pills. Apart from that, following a healthy lifestyle, quitting unhealthy habits like drinking, smoking etc, having healthy meals and exercising regularly can also help to reducing the risk of such disorders.