These abnormal growths may cause mild to severe pelvic pain, especially during menstruation. Endometriosis may also be associated with infertility. Treatment for Endometriosis can be either medical or surgical. Various oral and injectable hormones are available to help slow the growth of endometriosis. Although significant improvement results from initial treatment in some patients, others have recurring symptoms and persistent disease.
Recent studies demonstrate that endometriosis can be managed equally well with laparoscopic removal.
If surgery is the form of treatment your doctor recommends, physicians at the Cleveland Clinic who specialize in this procedure can determine if laparoscopic surgery is appropriate for you. The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide, a gas, to allow your surgeon a better view of the operative area. Two or three additional small incisions are made near the laparoscope through which the surgeon inserts specialized surgical instruments. The surgeon uses these instruments to remove the endometriosis and scarred tissue around it, while preserving the uterus, tubes, and ovaries. If endometriosis involves the bowel, it can be removed at the same time.