Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial of Laser Laparoscopy in the Treatment of Pelvic Pain Associated with Minimal, Mild, and Moderate Endometriosis

The document reports on a study that aimed to assess the efficacy of laser laparoscopic surgery in treating pelvic pain associated with minimal, mild, and moderate endometriosis. The study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial involving 63 patients. These patients were randomized at the time of laparoscopy to either laser ablation of endometriotic deposits and laparoscopic uterine nerve ablation or expectant management. Pain symptoms were recorded subjectively and by visual analogue scale, with assessments at 3 and 6 months post-surgery. The results showed that laser laparoscopy provided statistically significant pain relief compared to expectant management at 6 months after surgery, with 62.5% of lasered patients reporting improvement or resolution of symptoms versus 22.6% in the expectant group. The results were poorest for minimal disease, but when considering only patients with mild and moderate disease, 73.7% achieved pain relief. There were no operative or laser complications. The study concluded that laser laparoscopy is a safe, simple, and effective treatment for alleviating pain symptoms in women with stages I, II, and III endometriosis.