title: Focus on primary care: chronic pelvic pain in women.
abstract: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a major health problem. It is the reason for 10% of all outpatient visits to gynecologist as well as being responsible for approximately 40% of laparoscopies and 10% to 15% of hysterectomies. A significant number of patients have no obvious etiology for their pain at the time of laparoscopy. The condition may not be cured in a large number of patients. This is ultimately unsatisfying for both the patient and physician. Although CPP may not be curable, it can be managed so those patients attain normal or near-normal levels of functions. To identify and review the methods used for diagnosis and treatment of chronic pelvic pain in women, a MEDLINE and Cochrane systematic review search from 1980 to 2000 was performed to collect information and evidence on diagnosis and treatment of women suffering from chronic pelvic pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jahra Hospital, Hawalli, Kuwait. gelbaya@hotmail.com
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Gelbaya
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: El-Halwagy
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications; D017763:Autonomic Denervation / Q000379:methods; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000628:therapy; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D010535:Laparoscopy; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000294:innervation; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone