title: Laparoscopic treatment of pelvic pain associated with minimal and mild endometriosis with use of the Helica Thermal Coagulator.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Helica Thermal Coagulator (TC) in the treatment of pelvic pain associated with minimal (stage I) and mild (stage II) endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinical observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A referral center for laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one women with pelvic pain symptoms associated with minimal and mild endometriosis diagnosed at laparoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Helica TC to treat endometriotic lesions. The revised American Fertility Society (rAFS) classification was used to stage endometriosis. Pain symptoms and patient satisfaction were assessed subjectively at 3 and 6 months follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Improvement or relief of pelvic pain symptoms, and intra- or postoperative complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 79 women completed the study to 6 months follow-up. At 3 months, 59 (74.7%) women reported resolution and satisfactory improvement of symptoms, whereas 20 (25.3%) women continued to experience painful symptoms. At 6 months, 69 (87.4%) women reported resolution and satisfactory improvement of symptoms, whereas 9 (11.4%) women reported no changes and 1 (1.2%) woman experienced worsening symptoms. No significant differences were found between minimal and mild disease. No side effects or surgical complications occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Meaningful improvements and relief in clinical symptoms can be obtained with conservative laparoscopic surgery. Helica TC is a simple, effective, and safe device for the treatment of pelvic pain in women with stages I and II endometriosis. This approach requires further evaluation as part of randomized controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Frimley Park Hospital, Camberley, Surrey, United Kingdom. luciano.nardo@cmmc.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Luciano G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Nardo
authors.forename: Magdy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moustafa
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Gareth Beynon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome