[Laparoscopic studies of pelvic endometriosis in relation to sterility]

Six hundred and eighteen endometriosis patients out of 2,966 cases diagnosed with laparoscopy were statistically analyzed. The incidence of pelvic endometriosis was 28.3% of infertile cases, 47.2% of infertile cases of etiology unknown sterility, and 53.6% of cases of dysmenorrhea. Initial onset was most common in the sacrouterine ligament and the pouch of Douglas, followed by the ovaries. It was also seen in the vesicouterine pouch. The progress after the initial onset was considered to be due mainly to ovarian lesions, and the progressive rate appeared to be 0.3 point per month according to the R-AFS point system. Cases with stage 3 ovarian lesions were seen up to 7 years after menarche, and there were almost no cases of endometriosis 10 years after menopause. No differences in the average age were seen by stage of clinical progress or R-AFS, and the average age was around 31. The period of infertility showed no definite relation with the stage of the disease in cases of primary sterility, but stage 1 cases were common in patients with secondary sterility. The incidence of dysmenorrhea did not differ depending on the stage of the disease, but severe menstrual pain was common in stage 4 cases. The frequency associated with sterility did not differ in accordance with the stage. Severe pain at the time of endoscopy and induration of Douglas' pouch were common in stage 4 cases, but 31.9% of stage 4 cases showed no abnormal findings in pelvic examination. There was no significant difference between R-AFS points and the incidence of abnormal findings in HSG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)