title: Surgical treatment of endometriosis: a prospective randomized double-blinded trial comparing excision and ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare reduction of pain following laparoscopy after ablation or excision of endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, randomized, double-blind study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic at a university teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women of reproductive age presenting with pelvic pain and visually proved endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects completed a questionnaire rating their various pains using visual analogue scales (VASs). After visual identification subjects were assigned randomly to treatment with ablation or excision by supervised training gynecologists as primary surgeon. Follow-up questionnaires at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months documented pain levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Change in overall pain VAS score at 12 months after operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in reduction in overall pain VAS scores at 12 months when comparing ablation and excision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has not been able to demonstrate a significant difference in pain reduction between ablation and excisional treatments. Nonsignificant trends suggest that a larger study may find a difference in outcomes looking at dyspareunia or dyschezia.
authors.affiliation: Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. mghealey@optusnet.com.au
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Healey
authors.forename: W Catarina
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D055011:Ablation Techniques / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014515:Ureteral Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult