Hormone therapy and pelvic laparoscopy cannot cure endometriosis. However, it can partially or completely relieve symptoms in many patients for a number of years.

Removing the uterus (hysterectomy), both ovaries and tubes give the best chance of a cure for endometriosis. You may need hormone replacement therapy after your ovaries are removed. Rarely endometriosis can come back, even after a hysterectomy.

Endometriosis may result in infertility, but not in every patient, and especially if the endometriosis is mild. Laparoscopic surgery may help improve fertility. The chance of success depends on the severity of the endometriosis. If the first surgery does not aid in getting pregnant, repeating the laparoscopy is unlikely to help. Patients should consider further infertility treatments.

Endometriosis can lead to problems getting pregnant (infertility). Other complications include:

• Chronic or long-term pelvic pain that interferes with social and work activities
• Large cysts in the pelvis (called endometriomas) that may break open (rupture)

Other complications are rare. In a few cases, endometriosis implants may cause blockages of the gastrointestinal or urinary tracts.

Very rarely, cancer may develop in the areas of endometriosis after menopause.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if:

• You have symptoms of endometriosis
• Back pain or other symptoms come back after endometriosis is treated

Consider getting screened for endometriosis if your mother or sister has been diagnosed with endometriosis, or if you are unable to become pregnant after trying for 1 year.

Images

Endometriosis

Abnormal menstrual periods

Pelvic laparoscopy

• < Page
1 2
• >

Previous Section

Endometriosis Symptoms

Next Section

Endometriosis Prevention

Review Date: 09/02/2009
Reviewed By: Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)