Although surgery doesn't cure endometriosis, it does offer short-term results for most women and long-term relief for a few.
Surgery may be recommended when:
- Treatment with hormone therapy has not controlled symptoms, and symptoms interfere with daily living.
- Endometrial implants or scar tissue (adhesions) interferes with the functions of other organs in the belly.
- Endometriosis causes infertility.
Surgery choices
- LaparoscopyLaparoscopy is the most common procedure used to diagnose and treat endometriosis. If your doctor recommends a laparoscopy, it will be used to look for and possibly to remove or destroy implants and scar tissue.
- Hysterectomy with oophorectomyHysterectomy with oophorectomy is for women who have no plans to get pregnant. It can help with pain for the long term. But after your ovaries are removed, the side effects of low estrogen levels can be severe. And when you start menopause early, your risk of future osteoporosis increases unless you take measures to protect your bones.
- Endometriosis: Should I Have a Hysterectomy and Oophorectomy?
- Hysterectomy and Oophorectomy: Should I Use Estrogen Therapy (ET)?
What to think about
Some studies suggest that using hormone therapy after surgery can make the pain-free period longer by preventing the growth of new or returning endometriosis.4