MedicineGynecologyUrologyInfertilityReproductive MedicineReproductive SurgeryEndometriosisFemale InfertilityPelvic PainAdhesions
The study retrospectively reviewed 100 laparoscopies for chronic pelvic pain and 88 for infertility, then compared patients with adhesions on symptomatology, adhesion density, and location. Pelvic adhesions were found in 26 % of chronic pelvic pain patients and 39 % of infertility patients, yet only 4 of 34 infertility patients with adhesions reported pain, and no significant difference in adhesion density or location was observed between symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, suggesting adhesions may not cause chronic pelvic pain.
Retrospective review of 100 consecutive laparoscopies for chronic pelvic pain and 88 for infertility was undertaken. Twenty-six of the 100 (26%) chronic pelvic pain patients and 34 of the 88 (39%) infertility patients exhibited pelvic adhesions as the only abnormal finding. Patients in each group with findings of pelvic adhesions were compared with respect to symptomatology, density of adhesions, and locations of adhesions. Only four of the 34 infertility patients in whom pelvic adhesions were found complained of pain. Comparison of the chronic pelvic pain patients and the asymptomatic infertility patients did not reveal a significant difference in the density or the location of adhesions. These findings question the role of pelvic adhesions as a cause of chronic pelvic pain.