When is hysterectomy and removal of the ovaries an option for the treatment of endometriosis?
Hysterectomy and oophorectomy are considered a last-resort treatment for endometriosis. This is because it is a major surgery that results in permanent infertility, and removing the ovaries causes a sudden drop in estrogen. This causes sudden, usually severe menopause, difficult side effects, and bone-thinning. Normally, a woman takes low-dose estrogen to prevent these problems after having an oophorectomy. But taking estrogen may also increase the risk that endometriosis will return. Hysterectomy and removal of the ovaries may be a treatment option when: • Endometriosis symptoms decrease your quality of life. • Scar tissue impairs the function of abdominal organs (although scar tissue can usually be surgically removed without also taking the uterus and ovaries). • You have tried treatment with hormone therapy and continue to have pelvic pain or other symptoms. • You have no future plans for childbearing. • Your symptoms outweigh the risks and long-term effects of the surgery. This inc
