The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2010;12:1:7-12
doi: 10.1576/toag.12.1.007.27552
Copyright © 2010 by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
The threshold for laparoscopy for pelvic pain
Elisenda Laborda, MD MRCOG, Specialist Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology1,
Andrew Clarke, BSc MD FRCS, Consultant Surgeon2 and
Tyrone Carpenter, BSc MD MRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist3
1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Longfleet Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 2JB, UK
2. Department of Surgery, Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
3. Department of Gynaecology, Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK Email: tyrone.carpenter{at}poole.nhs.uk (corresponding author)
Key content:
- Detailed history and examination are crucial.
- Laparoscopy is readily justifiable in acute pain.
- In chronic pelvic pain, the possible benefits and risks associated with laparoscopy need to be assessed for each woman individually.
Learning objectives:
- To outline gynaecological and non-gynaecological reasons for pelvic pain.
- To evaluate methods of diagnosis.
- To determine the likelihood of laparoscopy being effective in diagnosis and treatment, and the associated risks in each individual case.
Ethical issues:
- The risks of unnecessary and unhelpful surgery should be balanced against the risks associated with delay and possible misdiagnosis.
Please cite this article as: Laborda E, Clarke A, Carpenter T. The threshold for laparoscopy for pelvic pain. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2010;12:7–12.
Keywords adhesions / endometriosis / irritable bowel syndrome / laparoscopy / pelvic pain
Copyright © 2010 by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.