Endometriosis

Endometriosis (colloquially referred to as endo, but also misspelled as endometreosis and endemetriosis) affects some 89 million women of reproductive age around the world. With endometriosis, the endometrial tissue from the uterus is found outside the womb in other areas of the body. Under normal circumstances, the endometrium leaves the body each month through menses (unless conception occurs). In endometriosis, the misplaced endometrium has no way of leaving the body. The tissues, however, still follow the rise and fall of estrogen and progesteron, breaking down and bleeding as if they were still in the womb, with many of the following symptoms taking place in the woman's body:

-- internal bleeding,

-- degeneration of blood and tissue shed from the growths,

-- inflammation of the surrounding areas, and

-- formation of scar tissue.

In addition, the growths can interfere with the normal function of the bowel, bladder, intestines and other areas of the pelvic cavity. Endometriosis has also been found lodged in the skin, the lungs, the diaphragm and even the brain.

Laparoscopical Diagnosis of Endometriosis

Laparoscopy is the only way to see whether there is endometriosis or not. Once spotted, the surgeon may decide to remove endo specks during the explorative laparoscopy or not. A new method called autofluorescent laparoscopy diagnosis of endometriosis helps the surgeon see only the lesions, even if the tissues looked OK in normal white light.

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