How is endometriosis treated with surgery?
Endometriosis in its early stages can be treated at the time of diagnosis. Endometriosis is diagnosed using a surgical procedure called laparoscopy. During laparoscopy, a thin viewing tube (called a laparoscope) is passed through a small incision in the abdomen. A second incision may be made on the lower abdomen to provide an additional opening for surgical instruments. Using the laparoscope, your doctor can look directly at the outside of the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and nearby organs. The laparoscope can also be fitted with surgical devices for taking tissue samples or removing scar tissue. Endometrial lesions (implants of endometrial tissue outside of the endometrium) can be cut away (excised) or burned away using a high-energy heat source, such as a laser (ablation). Treatment with laparoscopy is more difficult with advanced disease that involves large areas of the rectum or larger lesions. Does laparoscopic treatment improve fertility? Treating early stage endometriosis to
