Excisional techniques for endometriosis with the CO2 laser laparoscope

Laparoscopic excisional techniques, used for endometriosis on 319 of 495 patients during the years 1982-1986 at Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis, significantly increased the percentage of confirmation per patient. That percentage for all patients rose from 8 in 1982 to 97 in 1986. A significant increase occurred also in confirmation for patients with specimens submitted--from 62% in 1982 to 97% in 1986. At the same time, tissue confirmation also increased the documentation of the appearance of endometriosis. Pink, red, white, black and clear lesions were proven to be endometriosis. In addition, psammoma bodies, hemangiomas, old suture material, hemorrhages around old suture material, carcinoma and ectopic pregnancy, all of which had some characteristics of endometriosis, were shown not to be that disease. There were no complications related to the excisional techniques.