If you have abnormally painful cramps during your periods, it may be due to endometriosis. This is a very painful condition, because endometrial tissue – which lines the uterus and sheds every month – also grows abnormally outside the uterus, typically around your ovaries or fallopian tubes.
The problem is that this misguided endometrial tissue also sheds every month, but there is no place for it to go, so it causes painful symptoms. Endometriosis can also lead to infertility if left untreated.
What Is the Best Treatment for Endometriosis?
The sooner you seek treatment, the better the outcome will be. The most effective treatment for advanced endometriosis involves surgery; patients can usually begin treatment quickly after diagnosis.
Note that hormonal treatments do not have the ability to resolve endometriosis but could actually exacerbate the issue, because not removing excessive endometrial tissue could allow the condition to fester and spread further. Endometriosis can spread to other areas of the body, and removal of this tissue would require extensive surgery with a higher degree of difficulty.
Laparoscopic Surgery to Treat Endometriosis
Surgery for the removal of displaced endometrial tissue in the abdomen usually involves an outpatient surgical procedure called laparoscopy. During this procedure, the surgeon uses tiny laparoscopic tools to confirm the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus and subsequently removes the excess tissue.
The laparoscope is first inserted through an incision made in the navel area, often through your belly button. It is equipped with a light and a fiber-optic lens that allows the doctor to see inside your pelvic organs. The surgeon can also insert miniature surgical tools to remove the ancillary endometrial cells.
The procedure is very complex and requires highly specialized training by a doctor who has experience performing this particular procedure. The removal process depends on the location and severity of the disease.
Removal of Endometrial Tissue Outside the Uterus
For endometrial cells that are found in the body far away from the uterus, the surgeon may cut or burn the excess tissue using laser technology. If it has created cysts, the doctor may use a simple puncture to drain the fluid from the cysts.
However, drainage of an endometrial cyst carries a risk of recurrence, which is why your doctor may take the more aggressive approach of cutting away the cyst wall. Another method is the ablation method, which drains the cyst and also removes the base using heat.
Laparoscopic surgery carries a risk of damaging the ovaries while removing the displaced endometrial tissue. This is especially true for patients with advanced endometriosis, where adhesions have spread across the pelvic region.
Advanced Endometriosis Surgical Treatment in North Miami, FL
If you are a teenage girl or woman who suffers from painful cramps or abdominal pain, allow our compassionate and highly trained gynecologists here at Levin’s Women’s Health & Wellness Center to evaluate your condition and get you the treatment that you need. Your health is our top priority, and we are here to deliver comprehensive and personalized gynecological services to you and the women in your family.
To schedule a consultation with us, call our friendly team today at (305) 981-0231 or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to serving you here in North Miami.