The typical reasons to go for an endometriosis surgery are to relieve pain, prevent the formation of adhesions, enhance fertility, and promote the overall wellbeing of women. Until a better cure is found, Laparoscopic excision surgery remains the most effective treatment option for endometriosis with a low recurrence rate provided a skilled surgeon is doing it.
However, many women who come for consultation are skeptical about the surgery. I have been asked many times why surgery when endometriosis has no cure? Why go through with it when there are chances – no matter how small – of recurrence?
The question is particularly hard to answer when they had been suffering from endometriosis for long periods of time. Harder still is when women have bad medical experiences and suffer for long periods of time pose it.
People have all the reasons to be skeptical of surgery. We have always associated “surgery” with something serious. For a non-medical person with no idea of invasive vs non-invasive procedures, every surgery is a major one (think of open heart surgery!).
Add to it the lack of research, myths, and misconceptions surrounding endometriosis.
We often come across patients where surgery had been done for ovarian endometriosis but all other tissues/nodules are left behind. The result is that the symptoms like severe pain still persist. “But I went through the surgery,” one might think. But endometriosis is a condition where going through surgery will relieve you if you get certain things right.
First, the surgery needs to be done by an experienced surgeon and an expert multidisciplinary team. I am sure in a few years there will be enough research done on the condition and we will start to get it right, but for now, choose wisely. Incomplete surgeries often lead to the persistence of disease and symptoms both.
Second, understand the cost of delay. Take your time for research, but don’t ignore the symptoms. The faster we can diagnose endometriosis, the easier the treatment gets.
Third, know about the negative effects of alternative treatments available. Even if the alternative treatments like hormone therapy or therapeutic possibilities do no damage, you end up delaying the treatment that is often needed, further complicating the condition.
Finally, Laparoscopic excision (LAPEX) is a safe technique in skilled hands. The goal of such surgery ideally is the complete excision of endometriosis tissue without compromising ovarian function, restoring pelvic anatomy, and improving one’s quality of life.
So why opt for surgery for endometriosis? Because it is the best route that we know as of now to treat endometriosis so that you can “GET YOUR LIFE BACK”.