Surgery and the use of drugs provided reduced pain scores in patients with endometriosis but nevertheless exhibit disadvantages , such as risk of recurrence and side effects , respectively .
However , improved quality of life in these patients has been obtained with the use of conventional treatment
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by sustained painful symptoms that are responsible for a decline in the quality of life of sufferers .
Conventional treatment includes surgical and pharmacological therapy aim ing at reducing painful symptoms .
This study aim ed to evaluate pain levels in women with endometriosis , focusing on the influence of conventional treatment in controlling this variable .
Treatment of endometriosis is , therefore , a challenge for gynecologists and patients , as they must select the best therapeutic approach for this disease .
Continuous low‐dose oral contraceptive in the treatment of colorectal endometriosis evaluated by rectal endoscopic ultrasonography
Objective . Limited attention has been focused on the medical treatment of bowel endometriosis . This study evaluates the efficacy of administration of a continuous low‐dose oral contraceptive in treating pain and other symptoms associated with colorectal endometriotic nodules , as evaluated by rectal endoscopic ultrasonography . Design . Prospect i ve observational study . Setting . Academic Department of San Raffaele Scientific Institute , Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit . Population . Symptomatic women of reproductive age ( n=26 ) with colorectal nodules infiltrating at least the bowel muscularis propria and without a stenosis > 50 % . In 31 % of the patients , endoscopic ultrasonography permitted diagnosis of nodules located more than 10 cm from the anal rim . Methods . Patients received a continuous low‐dose oral contraceptive containing 15 μg ethinylestradiol and 60 μg gestodene for 12 months . Subjective symptoms were prospect ively evaluated , and nodule volumes were monitored using endoscopic ultrasonography . Main outcome measures . Nodule measurements were performed at baseline and after 12 months of treatment . Symptoms at the start and after 12 months were evaluated . Results . A significant improvement in the intensity of all the considered symptoms ( dysmenorrhea , non‐menstrual pelvic pain , deep dyspareunia and painful defecation ) was seen when evaluated by a visual analog scale . A reduction in terms of both diameter ( mean reduction 26 % ) and volume of the nodules ( mean reduction 62 % ) was observed after a 12 month period . Conclusions . A continuous low‐dose oral contraceptive therapy may reduce bowel endometriosis‐associated symptoms . In addition , this therapy induces a significant volumetric reduction of colorectal plaques when evaluated by endoscopic ultrasonography
Surgery and the use of drugs provided reduced pain scores in patients with endometriosis but nevertheless exhibit disadvantages , such as risk of recurrence and side effects , respectively .
However , improved quality of life in these patients has been obtained with the use of conventional treatment
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by sustained painful symptoms that are responsible for a decline in the quality of life of sufferers .
Conventional treatment includes surgical and pharmacological therapy aim ing at reducing painful symptoms .
This study aim ed to evaluate pain levels in women with endometriosis , focusing on the influence of conventional treatment in controlling this variable .
Treatment of endometriosis is , therefore , a challenge for gynecologists and patients , as they must select the best therapeutic approach for this disease .