[Laparoscopy for the diagnosis of endometriosis: analysis of 254 cases]

Two-hundred and fifty-four cases of pelvic endometriosis were diagnosed by laparoscopy from January 1979 through December 1986 in our hospital. The diagnosis was correct in 94.5% of the cases. Biopsy of the peritoneal lesions with aspiration of the chocolate cysts under laparoscopy has improved the diagnostic accuracy. Laparoscopy is an ideal procedure not only for diagnosing and staging endometriosis, but also for predicting the reproductive potential of infertile patients and planning future treatment.