Patient Quality of Life and Symptoms after Surgical Treatment for Endometriosis

To assess the impact of surgical treatment of endometriosis on quality of life and pain over a 3-year period of postoperative follow-up.

Prospective and multicenter cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Five districts including a tertiary referral center and private and general public hospitals.

Patients (n = 981), aged 15 to 50years, underwent laparoscopic treatment (preferred approach) for endometriosis between January 2004 and December 2012.

Laparoscopic treatment for endometriosis. All revised American Fertility Society stages were included.

The mean visual analog scale score for dysmenorrhea fell from 5.3 ± 3.7 (time 0) to 2.6 ± 3.3 at 6 months, and 2.3 ± 3.3 at 36 months of follow-up (p <.001). Mean visual analog scale scores for chronic pelvic pain and dyspareunia fell from 2.6 ± 3.5 and 2.7 ± 3.2, respectively, before surgery to 1.4 ± 2.5 and 1.1 ± 2.2 at 6 months and then 1.3 ± 2.5 and 1.2 ± 2.3 at 36 months of follow-up. The Short Form 36-Item survey analysis revealed the greatest increases linked to physical domains (i.e., bodily pain and role limitations) from 54.6 ± .9 and 63.3 ± 1.3, respectively, at time 0 to 74.4 ± .9 and 81.9 ± 1.1 at 6 months of follow-up (p <.001), with scores subsequently remaining stable. Among mental domains the most favorable results involved social functioning and role limitations due to emotional problems, which increased from 66 ± .8 and 65.7 ± 1.3 at time 0 to 75.6 ± .9 and 77.4 ± 1.3 at 6 months of follow-up, respectively (p <.001), with scores remaining stable over time.

Surgical treatment of endometriosis improves pelvic and sexual pain postoperatively in many women with endometriosis. Improvement later plateaus and remains stable, allowing patients to experience the beneficial effects over a period of years.