Complications following surgeries for endometriosis: A systematic review protocol

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Endometriosis is a prevalent gynecological condition causing diverse symptoms like pelvic pain and infertility.
• Surgical interventions, including laparoscopy and laparotomy, are standard for diagnosing and managing endometriosis.
• Complication rates and their determinants following these surgeries require comprehensive analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze complication rates associated with laparoscopic and laparotomic surgeries for endometriosis.
• To identify determinants that influence the occurrence of perioperative and postoperative complications.
• To provide evidence-based information for optimizing patient care and surgical decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of major databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, Google Scholar) for relevant studies published after 2011.
• Inclusion of retrospective and prospective cohort studies or trials with at least 30 participants, excluding cancer-related surgeries.
• Meta-analysis using random-effects models to pool complication incidences and risk ratios for determinants, with subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

Main Results:

• The review will quantify complication rates for different surgical approaches and procedures for endometriosis.
• It will identify specific patient characteristics or surgical factors associated with increased complication risk.
• Pooled data will provide a comprehensive overview of surgical safety in endometriosis management.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review will offer crucial data on endometriosis surgery complications, aiding patient counseling and informed consent.
• Identifying risk factors for complications will enable personalized risk assessment and potentially improve surgical outcomes.
• The findings will contribute to refining surgical practices and enhancing the quality of care for women with endometriosis.