title: Laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To consider and explain the possibility of difficulties in diagnosis of endometriosis at previous laparoscopy
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective patient record review.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Endometriosis Care Centre of Australia and the private practices of authors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifteen patients with clinical evidence of endometriosis examined laparoscopically between March 1999 and May 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  Confirmation of endometriosis by histological biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endometriosis was confirmed in 168 of the 215 women. Of these women 38 had a previous negative laparoscopy within 12 months of the current laparoscopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible that in some of the patients, who previously had a negative laparoscopy, endometriosis was not recognised. Possible reasons for difficulty in diagnosis have been identified and techniques to improve diagnosis suggested. This retrospective study was performed to consider and explain the possibility of difficulties in diagnosis of endometriosis at previous laparoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Cliveden Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsaltas
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010535:Laparoscopy; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies