Laparoscopic surgery of chronic hyperandrogenic anovulation

The review describes briefly the clinical and endocrinological characteristics of chronic hyperandrogenic anovulation (CHA), as well as ovulation induction by hormone therapy (therapy of first choice) and by classical wedge resection. The main purpose of this study, however, is to compare different laparoscopic treatments of CHA, with emphasis on laser treatments by argon, CO2, Nd:YAG, and frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. The overall results of laparoscopic treatments in hormone-therapy-resistant patients with CHA are encouraging and the results are comparable. In the studies considered in this review, ovulation was induced for longer or shorter periods in 21 out of 31 patients (68%) after ovarian biopsy, in 57 out of 73 patients (78%) after electrosurgery, and in 82 out of 118 patients (70%) after laser treatment. Subsequent conception occurred in 44%, 40%, and in 41% of the patients, respectively. Of interest is the fact that some hormone-therapy-resistant patients become sensitive to Clomiphene after laparoscopic treatment, giving an overall percentage of ovulation and an overall pregnancy rate of 89% and 54%, respectively, for electrosurgery, and of 88% and 50%, respectively, for laser treatment. Unfortunately, adhesion formation, a serious complication of surgical treatment of the ovaries, is still a drawback using laparoscopic surgical techniques.