[The laparoscopic picture of endometriosis in women with sterility]

It is the purpose of this study to document the variegated appearance of endometriosis at laparoscopy, and select suitable cases indicated for microsurgery. Three-hundred and four patients undergo diagnostic laparoscopy between January 1991 and June 1992. Endometriosis diagnosed during laparoscopy is staged according to the classification of the American Fertility Society. Findings are established as follows: endometriosis--203 patients (66.77 per cent), adhesions without endometriosis--57 (18.75 per cent), Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome--23 (7.56 per cent), leiomyomata--10 (3.28 per cent), ectopic pregnancy--3 (0.98 per cent). In eight women (2.63 per cent) there no peritoneal changes. Peritoneal endometriosis is characterized by the following morphological patterns: peritoneal pockets--38 patients (18.62 per cent), clear vesicles--26 (12.74 per cent), scarred white lesions--24 (11.76 per cent), raised red lesions--21 (10.29 per cent), flat red lesions--21 (10.29 per cent), black-purple lesions--20 (9.3 per cent), polypoid red lesions--10 (4.9 per cent), scarred black lesions--6 (2.44 per cent), and yellow-brown patches--4 (1.96 per cent).