FOLLOW-UP REPORT ON A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF LASER LAPAROSCOPY IN THE TREATMENT OF PELVIC PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH MINIMAL TO MODERATE ENDOMETRIOSIS
Cjg. Sutton et al., FOLLOW-UP REPORT ON A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF LASER LAPAROSCOPY IN THE TREATMENT OF PELVIC PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH MINIMAL TO MODERATE ENDOMETRIOSIS, Fertility and sterility, 68(6), 1997, pp. 1070-1074
Objective: To assess the longer term efficacy of laparoscopic laser su
rgery in the treatment of painful pelvic endometriosis and to observe
the natural history of the disease at second-look laparoscopy in a con
trol group. Design: One-year follow-up of a prospective, randomized, d
ouble-blind controlled trial. Setting: A referral center for the lapar
oscopic laser treatment of endometriosis. Patient(s): Sixty-three pati
ents with pelvic pain and minimal to moderate endometriosis. Intervent
ion(s): After the 6-month follow-up visit, the randomization code was
broken, and follow-up was continued to 1 year, Symptomatic patients we
re offered second-look laser laparoscopy. Main Outcome Measure(s): Con
tinued symptom relief at 1 year after treatment and findings at second
-look laparoscopy in symptomatic centrals. Result(s): Symptom relief c
ontinued at 1 year in 90% of those who initially responded. All sympto
matic controls had a second-look procedure, with 7 (29%) showing disea
se progression, 7 (29%) showing disease regression, and 10 (42%) havin
g static disease. Conclusion(s): The benefits of laser laparoscopy for
painful pelvic endometriosis are continued in the majority of patient
s at 1 year. Untreated painful endometriosis will pr ogress or remain
static in the majority of patients but will spontaneously improve in o
thers. (C) 1997 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.