Impact of Menstrual Cycle on Cognitive Function in Midlife Women
Dementia, which affects women at more than 1.7 times the rate of men, continues to be a growing health concern, with potential links to hormonal changes. Estrogen, known for its neuroprotective effects, influences cognitive functions such as verbal memory, fluency,…
Key Points Lay SummaryMay it be a new non-hormonal treatment option for endometriosis patients?
Heidi Ledford published a news in Nature, entitled “How understudied endometriosis causes pain for hundreds of millions of women”. She aimed to summarize the recent status about endometriosis treatment options. Pain-sensing nerves and immune cells interact to worsen both pain…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe current management of endometriosis-related infertility.
Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting women of reproductive age, often presenting with pelvic pain such as dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria, or inertility, and significantly impacting quality of life. Management should be individualized based on symptoms, reproductive goals, age,…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of Nerve Preservation During Parametrectomy on Urinary Retention in Deep Endometriosis Surgery
Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is the most advanced form of the disease, characterized by lesions penetrating deeper than 5 mm. Surgical treatment requires a meticulous approach to minimize functional complications. Deep lesions involving the parametrium, uterosacral ligaments, and anterior rectal…
Key Points Lay SummaryPre-Diagnosis Hospital Utilization Patterns in Women With Endometriosis
Endometriosis is commonly associated with symptoms such as painful periods, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Diagnosing the condition is challenging due to symptom overlap with other gynecologic and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as the need for advanced imaging or laparoscopic…
Key Points Lay SummaryExcisional vs Ablative Surgery for Ovarian Endometriomas: Fertility and Recurrence Rates
Endometriomas are typically treated surgically with either cystectomy or ablation and drainage. Laparoscopic surgery offers benefits such as shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery, and reduced healthcare costs. Many women undergo endometrioma surgery prior to fertility treatments or to enhance their…
Key Points Lay SummaryMore Young Patients Regret Having a Hysterectomy Than Older Ones
A study published inObstetrics & Gynecology found that patients aged 30 or younger were more likely to regret their decision to undergo a hysterectomy compared to those aged 31 to 49, regardless of factors such as parity, prior sterilization, or previous…
Key Points Lay SummaryImaging findings in postmenopausal endometriosis
Most women diagnosed with endometriosis during their reproductive years become asymptomatic in postmenopausal period, but lesions remain biologically active despite lower estrogen levels. The pathophysiology of postmenopausal endometriosis remains unclear, though lesions appear less active and extensive. The risk of…
Key Points Lay SummaryPredictive factors for decline in postoperative serum AMH levels following endometrioma surgery
Women with endometrioma seek treatment because of symptoms such as pelvic pain and infertility that reduce their quality of life. There are several management approaches including medical and surgical options. Ovarian cystectomy using laparoscopic or robotic devices is one of…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparison of Postoperative Complications in Total vs. Supracervical Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Endometriosis
Dr. Raanan Meyer and his team from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, have published a study in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, comparing the outcomes of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) and laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LSCH) in patients with endometriosis. A…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgery for Deep Endometriosis: Reproductive Outcomes in Infertile Women
Deep endometriosis (DE) is a severe form of endometriosis where endometriotic growths invade deeper tissues such as the pelvic organs, including the bowel, bladder, and sometimes nerves. This type of endometriosis is often linked to infertility, but the exact relationship…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe long-term cardiovascular risk in women with endometriosis.
Endometriosis, a chronic and systemic condition affecting 10% of women of reproductive age, has far-reaching effects beyond the reproductive system. Recent research highlights its role in triggering systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction. These processes can disrupt liver metabolism,…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of endometriosis surgery on female sexual functions
Sexual dysfunction is almost twice as prevalent in women with endometriosis compared to those with other benign gynecological conditions. Deep dyspareunia, a hallmark symptom of deeply infiltrating endometriosis, poses a ninefold higher risk in affected women. This symptom profoundly impacts…
Key Points Lay SummaryLifestyle and Environmental Factors in Endometriosis: Current Insights and Future Directions
Endometriosis-associated symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain have an effect to diminish the quality of life. The physical and mental quality of life of these women is adversely affected. There are several studies evaluating the quality of life…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Role of Uterine Contractility in Endometriosis and Adenomyosis
Uterine peristalsis, crucial for functions like menstruation and embryo transport, is regulated by hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle. Altered peristalsis may contribute to reproductive disorders such as endometriosis and adenomyosis. Abnormal uterine contractility patterns, including hyperperistalsis, may help explain…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdenomyosis as a Barrier to Effective Surgery for Dyspareunia in Rectovaginal Endometriosis
Women with endometriosis often experience severe pain during intercourse, known as dyspareunia, which can deeply affect their quality of life and intimate relationships. One form of this condition, rectovaginal septum endometriosis, involves deep, scarred tissue that can cause pain during…
Key Points Lay SummaryDietary Zinc Intake and Endometriosis Risk in American Women
In a study published in the BMC Public Health, Xie et al. investigated the potential effect of zinc intake and the prevalence of endometriosis with a cross-sectional study. The findings revealed a significant positive association between higher dietary zinc intake and endometriosis prevalence, particularly among…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes endometriosis have an adverse effect on sperm activity?
Infertility is one of the symptoms encountered in up to 40-50% of women with endometriosis. There are several pathophysiological theories suggesting the development of endometriosis-associated infertility such as altered pelvic anatomy, adhesions, disrupted ovarian reserve/function and compromised endometrial receptivity as…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic port site complications.
Dr. Semm performed the first laparoscopic surgery in September 1980 at the University of Kiel, marking a significant milestone. Following 1985, laparoscopy expanded beyond urogynecology into various medical fields, becoming widely accepted for interventions in multiple anatomical spaces. In recent…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe prevalence of deep and superficial dyspareunia in women with endometriosis..
Almost half of the women affected by endometriosis experience both superficial and deep dyspareunia. While superficial dyspareunia is less studied, deep dyspareunia is often linked to mechanical pressure on endometriotic lesions or tissue rigidity. To address the sexual difficulties faced…
Key Points Lay SummaryAn observational study on predicting endometriosis recurrence risk.
Endometriosis presents in various ways, and improper management can lead to recurrence. Studies show that the recurrence rate can range from 6% to 67%. Factors that may increase this risk include having severe or deep forms of the disease, being…
Key Points Lay SummaryPreterm Birth Risk Higher Among Women With Endo
Pregnant women with endometriosis have a higher risk of having a premature baby and other poor pregnancy outcomes compared to those without the disease, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Fertility and Sterility. This finding highlights the…
Key Points Lay SummaryIntraoperative Transvaginal Ultrasound-Guided Resection of Bowel Endometriosis
Alec et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Geneva University Hospitals aimed to show how to manage rectal endometriosis using ultrasound in a narrative video. The main goal of their procedure was to check the rectal wall…
Key Points Lay SummaryEffects of Endometriosis Symptoms on Women's Overall Health and Well-Being
Endometriosis significantly affects women's quality of life. Many women face daily challenges due to pelvic pain, which can lead them to miss work or school and withdraw from social activities. It's crucial to assess and manage the symptoms associated with…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes a comprehensive interventional program improve sexual health in women with endometriosis?
Women with endometriosis suffer from dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and chronic pelvic pain, all of which has significant negative consequences on their physical and psychological health regarding sexual and reproductive function. A group of scientists from Iran, published a study protocol titled…
Key Points Lay SummaryPersonalized Surgical Strategies for Bowel Endometriosis to Enhance Patient Outcomes
Bowel endometriosis often impacts the rectum or sigmoid colon, causing significant symptoms and reducing fertility. Treatments include hormonal therapy and surgery, with techniques varying widely. Crestani et al., in the leadership of Dr. Horace Roman, conducted a study aiming to…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new pathogenetic hypothesis of endometriosis
Recent research has focused on perimenopausal women who experienced hematoperitoneum and lower abdominal pain, subsequently developing deep infiltrating endometriosis within a few months of the initial episode. Ultrasonographic evaluations revealed that a bleeding functional ovarian cyst was the primary cause…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhy we should prefer nerve-sparing surgery in deep endometriosis?
Despite its benign nature, deep endometriosis can mimic malignant processes and infiltrate multiple organs, blood vessels, ligaments, and nerves within the pelvis. When conservative medical management fails, the need for surgical excision of endometriotic lesions arises. The surgeons aim to…
Key Points Lay SummaryRobot-assisted laparoscopy for deep infiltrating endometriosis of bowel
Deep infiltrating endometriosis is characterized by lesions larger than 5 mm that penetrate the peritoneum or invade the muscular layer of adjacent organs, affecting over 20% of women with endometriosis. Bowel involvement occurs in 5-12% of cases and may present with…
Key Points Lay SummarySuperiority of hysterectomy over lesion excision in the treatment of rectovaginal endometriosis
Confirmative treatment of endometriosis includes excision or ablation of visible lesions while conserving the uterus and ovaries. On the contrary, the radical approach involves total hysterectomy and even bilateral oophorectomy to create a hypo-estrogen state, remove adenomyosis if it exists,…
Key Points Lay SummaryA literature review about postmenopausal endometriosis.
Typically, endometriosis disease brings relief to women after menopause, but some individuals continue to develop some endometriosis-related issues even after the cessation of menstruation. This enigmatic condition, called postmenopausal endometriosis, needs to be understood, and the disease must be diagnosed…
Key Points Lay SummaryLow-grade albeit longstanding inflammation may have a pivotal role in the ovary
Academicians from Japan led by Associate Professor Makoto Orisaka published their update related to the role of inflammation in polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, and aging in the medical journal Frontiers in Endocrionology. Inflammation is the response of tissues to noxious stimuli…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe role of coagulation factors and tumor markers in diagnosing advanced stage endometriosis
As a systemic inflammatory condition, endometriosis features elevated proinflammatory cytokines, causing pain, endothelial dysfunction, carcinogenesis, and a hypercoagulable state. Patients with endometriosis show decreased thrombin time (TT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), alongside increased tissue factor (TF) and fibrinogen…
Key Points Lay SummaryStudy Sheds Light on Effect of Endometriosis and Infertility on Couples
Endometriosis and infertility are significantly associated with partnership and sexuality satisfaction, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. However, the large overlap between endometriosis and infertility underscores the fact that more research…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiminished physical activity in women with endometriosis due to chronic pelvic pain
Endometriosis is a systemic, chronic, inflammatory disease defined as the localization of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Pelvic pain is the most common symptom in these women resulting in abstinence from school or work and psychosocial problems. Physical activity…
Key Points Lay SummaryImproving fertility in peritoneal endometriosis
Endometriosis is the most common gynecologic disease that affects 10-15% of women in their reproductive age. The causal relationship between endometriosis and infertility is not clear yet, but adhesions and anatomical distortions due to the progression of the disease are…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis-associated symptoms have a negative impact on the quality of life in women
Women with endometriosis experience restrictions in their daily activities due to pelvic pain, resulting in abstinence from work or school and discontinuation of their social activities. Evaluation and management of endometriosis-associated symptoms is important to prevent these significant consequences. However, successful…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe depth of the iceberg: Parametrial involvement in deep endometriosis
Academicians led by members of the International School of Surgical Anatomy from Italy have published their paper on parametrial involvement of deep endometriosis in the medical periodical named “Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology”. Deep endometriosis is troublesome when…
Key Points Lay SummaryMindfulness Apps Could Help Adolescents Manage Period Pain
Adolescents with period pain are interested in using a mindfulness app for their pain, according to a new study published in the journal, JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting. However, they have unique needs that must be addressed so that the app is…
Key Points Lay SummaryDo I Need Assisted Reproduction to Become Pregnant After Endometriosis Surgery?
Researchers from Argentina developed a decision tree that can help identify patients who might need assisted reproduction techniques to become pregnant following endometriosis surgery. This way, the time between surgery and pregnancy could be minimized and the overall outcome may…
Key Points Lay SummarySophisticated study yields hopes for a new potential remedy
Academicians from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Japan, conducted a clinical and experimental study on the role of SMAD (Suppressor of Mothers Against Decapentaplegic) molecules in endometriosis, and have published their results in a recent issue…
Key Points Lay SummaryUltrasonographic findings and the clinical symptoms of pelvic endometriosis
Imaging techniques achieve the clinical diagnosis of endometriosis, which affects 10-15% of all women of reproductive age. Suspected patients with clinical history and symptoms need a systemic examination of the uterus, ovaries, adnexa, and peritoneal covering the rectouterine, retrocervical, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryPainful Sex Might Be a Valid Indication for Endometriosis Surgery
According to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, the type of endometriosis surgery, and pain improvement after surgery may be linked. More precisely, rectovaginal endometriosis surgery may be associated with reduced dyspareunia or painful intercourse. “Clinicians…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative pain-related quality of life for patiens with different types of endometriosis surgery.
Endometriosis surgery usually improves chronic pelvic pain and the quality of life in women suffering from that disease. Response to surgery depends on several factors, however, in younger ages, recurrence of both pain and endometriosis lesions are reported. Most research…
Key Points Lay SummaryCurrent practice in robotic surgery for deep-infiltrating endometriosis
Today, surgical excision of endometriotic lesions is the only cytoreductive procedure for managing endometriosis. Hormonal treatment may partly relieve the symptoms, but it suppresses rather than cytoreduction of the disease. Minimally invasive surgery is usually the most preferred method due…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes The Severity of Endometriosis Pain Affect the Chance of Having a Baby With IVF?
Severe pain symptoms in endometriosis have no relation with the outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction. This finding suggests that the decision-making process for…
Key Points Lay SummaryPsychological effect of endometriosis due to chronic pelvic pain
The most common symptoms of endometriosis are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain, all of which affect the quality of women’s lives. Early diagnosis and management are important as endometriosis impairs the quality of life of patients and creates a…
Key Points Lay SummaryStudy Identifies Best Questionnaires to Assess Sexual Function in Patients With Endometriosis
The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Sexual Activity Questionnaire (SAQ) have the best measurement properties according to the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) criteria for the measurement of sexual function in women with endometriosis,…
Key Points Lay SummaryHands-on proposals for medical counseling and verbalizations to use for women with endometriosis
An overview has been published recently in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics on patient–doctor communication and psychological counseling in endometriosis by two academicians, Drs. Wischmann and Ditzen, from Heidelberg University, Germany. There is no known cure for endometriosis and primary management…
Key Points Lay SummaryAre women with endometriosis more prone to have mental health disorders?
Endometriosis is a long-term morbidity resulting in impaired physical, sexual, psychological, and social health. The most common clinical findings of endometriosis patients are chronic pelvic pain and fertility problems, associated with impaired quality of life. These women are also affected…
Key Points Lay SummaryFertility outcomes after discoid excision for colorectal endometriosis.
Colorectal endometriosis is one of the most severe forms of deep endometriosis, composing 85% of all bowel lesions. Radical treatment is segmental resection of the bowels, which can cause postoperative severe complications such as rectovaginal fistula and voiding dysfunctions that negatively…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat Happens to all Those Frozen Eggs?
The rate of return to use previously vitrified oocytes is notably low even though there is an increase in the number of patients pursuing oocyte cryopreservation, found a new study published in JAMA Network Open. According to the authors of…
Key Points Lay SummarySpontaneous Conception After Deep Endometriosis Surgery
Deep endometriosis is a severe form of endometriosis where lesions invade deeper than 5 mm into subperitoneal space. Surgical management of the disease is a challenging task requiring a multi-disciplinary approach and significant expertise in the field. Anastomotic leaks, fistula,…
Key Points Lay SummaryNeonatal uterine bleeding at birth and endometriosis later in life
In the first few days after birth, some female newborns bleed from the vaginal route, and this is called newborn uterine bleeding. The overt and occult neonatal uterine bleeding prevalence rates are 3-5% and 25-60% retrospectively. The causative risk factors for…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) be a potential marker of endometriosis ?
Medical student Kyana Jafarabady and academicians from several medical centers in Iran have published their database research on Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in endometriosis patients in a recent issue of BMC Women’s Health. BDNF is a neurotrophin that plays an important…
Key Points Lay SummaryShould I Have Endometriosis Surgery Before IVF-ICSI?
The live birth rate per in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine sperm injection (ICSI) cycle was significantly reduced in women who underwent surgery to treat endometriosis before the procedures, found a new study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences. “These…
Key Points Lay SummaryBladder Function Alterations Following Endometriosis Surgery
Although endometriosis is a common gynecologic disorder, urinary tract involvement is present in only 1-5% of these patients. When endometriosis invades the urinary tract, clinical symptoms may vary from asymptomatic to frequency, urgency, bladder pain, hematuria, and recurrent urinary infections.…
Key Points Lay SummaryRisk of endometriosis and related occupational factors among working women
As a debilitating disease, endometriosis is well known to have effects on the patient's overall quality of life. Various studies have consistently reported that working women face an increased risk of endometriosis growth. Lee et al. from Korea conducted a…
Key Points Lay SummaryOvarian adhesion prevention with polytetrafluoroethylene during endometrioma surgery.
The World Health Organization defined infertility as the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse or after six months of fertility-focused intercourse. Depending on the chronic inflammatory character and causing adhesion formations within the peritoneum, endometriosis is…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhy is there a higher risk of stroke for women with endometriosis?
Women diagnosed with endometriosis might face an increased susceptibility to stroke due to alterations in the levels of some molecules in their systems. Studies indicate that especially those undergoing hysterectomy/oophorectomy, have an approximately 30% higher risk of stroke. Dr. Mormile…
Key Points Lay SummaryStudy Identifies Potential New Theraputic Target in Endometriosis
Lactate could drive the progression of endometriosis by upregulating the expression of a gene called HMGB1, according to a new study published in the Journal of Biomedical Research. This finding identifies novel targets for the prevention and treatment of endometriosis.…
Key Points Lay SummaryPerception of quality of professional healthcare in Italian patients with endometriosis
According to the Italian Ministry of Health, the prevalence rate of endometriosis among women in their reproductive age is 10-15%. Many of them suffer from intense pain and a poor quality of life due to diagnostic delay. The average delay…
Key Points Lay SummaryNeurotrophins proposed as possible biomarkers for endometriosis
As the search for a good-quality biomarker in endometriosis continues, certain growth factors have been investigated for their roles in the pathophysiology of the disease. Neurotrophins, as regulators of neuronal development and survival, are also known to take part in…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiagnosis and the Treatment of Postmenopausal Endometriosis
About 190 million women around the world are diagnosed with endometriosis. The majority of the cases are between 30 and 40 years of age. After menopause, the incidence of endometriosis declines to 2-5%, and it is more common in women…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew developments in endometriosis from a molecular and cellular standpoint
Researchers are making significant progress in endometriosis regarding molecular and cellular research, with collaborative efforts by clinicians, scientists, surgeons, and biostatisticians. Laganà et al. from Italy wrote an editorial regarding the recent special issue called "Molecular and Cellular Advances in Endometriosis Research…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe type of surgical approach compared to complications and recurrence for colorectal endometriosis
Women with endometriosis may have extension and infiltration of the intestine, called "colorectal endometriosis, in up to 12%. The main symptoms are alterations in bowel habits, pelvic pain, and/or infertility. The gold standard management option for colorectal endometriosis is surgical…
Key Points Lay SummaryDeep infiltrating endometriosis and postoperative pregnancy outcomes
Although the current ESHRE guidelines state that there is no strong evidence to support surgical intervention to improve the spontaneous pregnancy rate in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis and advise Assisted reproduction technology irrespective of the severity of endometriosis, several studies…
Key Points Lay SummaryMonitoring eating behavior is important
The relationship between dietary products and endometriosis gained interest after the recognition that a proper diet can improve pathological and physiological processes. There is also a belief that the benefits of some anti-oxidants may have a therapeutic effect on the…
Key Points Lay SummarySacral neuromodulation for endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain
Sacral neuromodulation is a therapeutic technique that involves electrical stimulation of a sacral nerve route to modulate a neural pathway. The device is an implantable neurostimulator, and the procedure is a minimally invasive procedure with good long-term outcomes. This technique…
Key Points Lay SummaryHazardous substances in pollution and relationship with endometriosis.
Vallée and colleguages. from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health of Foch Hospital, France, recently published a narrative review about environmental pollution and its association with endometriosis in BJOG. They used the existing English literature to discuss the association…
Key Points Lay SummaryRobotic Surgery Not Linked With More Complications in Certain Cases
Robotic-assisted excision surgery to treat large rectal endometriotic nodules larger than 3 cm is not associated with a higher risk of complications following the operation compared to conventional laparoscopy, according to a new study published in the journal Colorectal Diseases.…
Key Points Lay SummaryLive Birth Rate for ovarian stimulation protocols after laparoscopic endometrioma cystectomy.
The laparoscopic cystectomy of the ovaries is the first-line infertility treatment in patients with endometriomas. However, a possible diminished ovarian capacity after cystectomy with ovarian failure to respond to the gonadotropin stimuli seems an undesirable result of this procedure. Controlled…
Key Points Lay SummaryPerioperative complications of outpatient surgery for endometriosis.
Surgical treatment of endometriosis plays an essential role in managing the disease. They are miscellaneous perioperative complications such as incomplete removal of the lesions, low quality of the first surgery, or incorrect approach to laparoscopic surgeries that result in increased…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparison of two different surgical approach to deep colorectal endometriosis in terms of postoperative outcomes.
Deep colorectal endometriosis affects one-fifth of women with endometriosis, which is commonly associated with more pelvic pain and severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Three surgical approaches for deep colorectal endometriosis are segmental colorectal resection, full-thickness discoid resection, and shaving operation. Choosing the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrioma surgery and the ovarian reserve
Traditionally, cystectomy is the gold standard for surgical approach owing to the reduced risk of recurrence. Still, it may lead to a reduction in postoperative ovarian volume and can be a cause of ovarian failure. The recent conservative surgical management of…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Physical Activity
Endometriosis causes abstinence from their daily life, especially during painful periods. Decreased physical function might result in reduced physical activity. Sachs et al., from Switzerland, published a study titled “Physical Activity in Women with Endometriosis: Less or More Compared with…
Key Points Lay SummaryExploring endometriosis symptoms and their effects on women's lives
Endometriosis symptoms, their severity, and the way they affect patients' lives may vary. With the aim of investigating different personal experiences and perceptions of endometriosis symptoms and the way they impact women's daily lives, Hunsche and colleagues from Switzerland and…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Molecular Mechanisms of how herbal medicine Actaea racemosa modulates Endometriosis Progression
Increased proliferation, dysregulated apoptosis, and a pro-inflammatory and oxidative environment are the hallmarks of endometriosis. In the article published in the Journal of Molecular Sciences, penned by Livia Interdonato et al, the molecular mechanisms of the extract from a plant…
Key Points Lay SummaryTreatment of superficial dyspareunia using topical estrogens in postmenopausal women with a history of endometriosis
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is defined as a collection of symptoms and signs caused by hypoestrogenic changes to the labia majora/minora, clitoris, vestibule/introitus, vagina, urethra, and bladder that occur in menopausal patients. Sexual dysfunction and superficial dyspareunia can be experienced…
Key Points Lay SummaryA comparative analysis of male and female perspectives on sexuality in couples dealing with endometriosis
Sexual relationships of patients with endometriosis have been an area of research lately, however, studies have focused mostly on female perceptions and opinions leaving out the males. Helfenstein et al. from Switzerland, Germany, and Austria conducted a multicenter cohort study…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs continuous hormonal treatment safe and healthy method for endometriotic patients?
One of the studies related to the search for new markers in pathophysiologic causes of endometriosis is circulating microparticles and their subset "tissue factor". In response to damage, activation, or apoptosis, these microparticles are found in human plasma, urine, saliva,…
Key Points Lay SummaryToxic metal cadmium and Endometriosis
Data analyst Mandy Hall and and colleagues from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, USA, have published their results on cadmium levels and endometriosis in a recent issue of “Human Reproduction”. In 2020 the World Health Organization…
Key Points Lay SummaryModerate-to-severe Endometriosis and "The Cumulative live birth rate" in IVF Cycles
Infertility is one of the major symptoms in women with endometriosis. The incidence of endometriosis is approximately 10% in reproductive-aged women and up to 40-50% in infertile women. There are multifactorial mechanisms resulting in endometriosis-associated infertility such as anatomic distortion, impaired…
Key Points Lay Summary"Transumblical single-port laparoscopy" for deep infiltrating endometriosis.
Deep infiltrating endometriosis patients have multi-system involvements, severe pelvic adhesions, and pelvic pain. Dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, infertility, gastrointestinal symptoms, and lower urinary tract symptoms seriously affect their quality of life. Although hormonal therapy may be the first choice for treating endometriosis,…
Key Points Lay SummaryDienogest versus combined oral contraceptives treatment in postoperative endometriosis care
Dienogest is a synthetic progestin derivative, like oral contraceptives, used to prevent endometriosis recurrence after surgery. Randomized clinical trials verified a significantly higher reduction in endometriotic lesions, clinical symptoms, and improved quality of life obtained when dienogest was given to…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Starch-Based Gel Barrier Reduces Pain and Improves Fertility After Endometriosis Surgery
The development of pain was reduced in women with endometriosis who underwent surgery for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) resection and the "gel barrier 4DryField® PH" was used during the operation, according to results from a randomized controlled trial. Moreover, fertility was improved. "4DryField® PH"…
Key Points Lay SummaryAre women with endometriosis more prone to pregnancy loss?
Endometriosis is a gynecological disease of reproductive-aged women who may suffer from reproductive outcomes such as infertility, miscarriage, and recurrent pregnancy loss. Pregnancy loss is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy until 22 weeks of gestation including spontaneous abortion, missed…
Key Points Lay SummaryTelemedicine for endometriosis
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the widespread adoption of telemedicine, allowing healthcare professionals to provide care remotely using technology. Telemedicine has proven successful in various medical fields. In obstetrics and gynecology, implementing telemedicine became crucial, especially for conditions like endometriosis.…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative outcomes of laparoscopic rectosigmoid resection for bowel endometriosis.
Rectosigmoid endometriosis comprises 80-85% of all bowel endometriosis cases and can be localized in the rectovaginal septum, uterosacral ligaments, retro-cervical region, and parametrium. Symptoms of rectosigmoid endometriosis include abdominal bloating, constipation-diarrhea, lower-back pain, dyschezia, and sometimes cyclic rectal bleeding. Minimally…
Key Points Lay SummarySexual activity during menstruation: Any impact on endometriosis development?
Retrograde menstruation is among the theories for the etiology of endometriosis and there is a hypothesis that sexual activity during menstruation could potentially increase retrograde menstruation, leading to the implantation of endometrial tissue in other areas and consequently increasing the…
Key Points Lay SummaryOutcomes of chronic pelvic pain after niche repair
Rapidly increasing cesarian section rates in recent years increased the cesarian scar defects and the development of "isthmoceles". Isthmocele is a myometrial lesion located around the isthmic portion of the uterus that is a myometrial discontinuity or hypoechoic triangle in…
Key Points Lay SummaryChanges over time in day surgery for endometriosis in Canada
There are several medical and surgical treatment options for the management of endometriosis. Surgical approach is generally preferred in women with atypical endometrioma appearance on ultrasound, and who have persistent pain despite medical treatment. Surgery is often the first choice…
Key Points Lay SummaryMenopause-management strategies for women with endometriosis.
Menopausal hormonal therapy is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, sweating, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and joint pain. Approximately 75% of all women experienced some degree of these symptoms, while 2-4% were diagnosed with endometriosis. Menopausal…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhen to start ART after laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis?
Laparoscopy combined with histopathologic confirmation of endometriosis is the reference standard for diagnosing endometriosis. Additionally, laparoscopic surgery is considered the most effective way to approach infertility induced by endometriosis. The surgical factors influencing the outcome of treating the infertility of…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe cost-effectiveness of different GnRH agonist regimes for progestogen-resistant endometriosis.
Surgical and medical treatments are currently used to treat the pelvic pain caused by endometriosis. Respected guidelines recommend using progestins with or without estrogens as first-line medical treatment due to their safety, effectiveness, inexpensive, and tolerability. However, one-third to one-quarter…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of dienogest vs ethynyl estradiol/dienogest on quality of life in women with endometriosis
Women with endometriosis suffer from dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain that diminishes the quality of their life. Both physical and mental components of quality of life have been affected by endometriosis-associated symptoms. There are several medical and surgical treatment…
Key Points Lay SummaryUltrasonographic findings predicting parametrial deep endometriosis
Transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation is the primary imaging technique to rule out deep endometriosis. Although the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis Group (IDEA) published a consensus to standardize the nomenclature of ultrasonographic pelvic examination in women with suspected deep endometriosis, parametrial deep endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgery for Deep Endometriosis
In recent years, minimally invasive surgery has gained popularity, providing the best results in gynecologic cancers and deeply infiltrated endometriosis. With the help of a high-definition camera displayed on a TV monitor, the small structures are enlarged 4-7 times and…
Key Points Lay SummaryIntegrative medical management of endometriosis
This lecture entitled "Integrative Medical Management of Endometriosis" was presented by Dr. Pinar Kodaman, Director of the endoscopic reproductive surgery program and Assoc. Professor of Clinical ObGyn and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine. In addition to surgery which…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich surgery for deep endometriosis? Laparoscopic shaving or rectal resection?
This keynote lecture entitled "Deep endometriosis: The place of laparoscopic shaving" was presented by Dr. Jacques Donnez, the director of the infertility research unit at the Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, at the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs there any advantage of addition of hysterectomy on deep endometriotic pelvic pain or on the quality of life?
The addition of hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy to the endometriosis excision surgery provided greater benefits when compared to excision surgery alone, according to the results of a comparison study that was recently published in the journal named "Facts Views and Visions in Obstetrics…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntioxidant astaxanthin has promising effects on endometriosis-related infertility.
Dr. Rostami and colleagues from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, have published a pioneering clinical study on the effects of antioxidant astaxanthin supplementation in infertile endometriosis patients in the scientific journal named Frontiers in Endocrinology. A complicated network…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to cope with the probable complications of Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
Laparoscopic hysterectomy to treat endometriosis and adenomyosis can lead to complications, which are “non-negligible”, according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. It is, therefore, of great importance to know the factors that are associated…
Key Points Lay SummaryFirst-line surgery or first-line ART: A real challenge both for the clinicians and infertile women having DIE without colorectal involvement
Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is defined as the presence of endometriotic lesions over 5 mm in depth under the peritoneal surface. These women suffer from chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, bloody or painful bowel movements, and infertility. There…
Key Points Lay SummarySerum Galectin-9 : A promising marker for endometriosis diagnosis
Dr. Jarollahi and colleagues from Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran have published their research on serum levels of Galectin-9 as a noninvasive marker for endometriosis in the "Journal of Reproduction & Infertility". Endometriosis imposes a great challenge in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe enhanced invasiveness, migration and the development of adenomyosis: Importance of M2 macrophages
Adenomyosis is the ectopic presence of endometrial stromal and glandular cells inside the myometrial tissue. Adenomyosis is diagnosed in women with gynecological problems with an incidence of 20%, although it is encountered much more frequently in hysterectomy specimens. Among many…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes Endometriosis Surgery Increase the Rate of Pregnancy?
Surgery to treat colorectal endometriosis leads to a high rate of pregnancy following the operation, found a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. The authors of the study said, “studies with a high level of evidence…
Key Points Lay SummaryA review of multimodal imaging modalities for endometriosis.
Since there is a lack of non-invasive biomarkers to diagnose endometriosis clinically, imaging techniques such as transvaginal ultrasonography and MRI have significant importance in preoperative endometriosis diagnosis. These imaging techniques allow appropriate surgical planning before laparoscopic excision, especially in deeply…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntiinflammatory lactoferrin molecule and antibody levels in endometriosis patients
A Japanese clinical research team led by Dr. Kaya Mori-Yamanaka from Shiga University of Medical Science Hospital, Otsu, Shiga, Japan, published their pioneering study on the role of serum lactoferrin and anti-lactoferrin antibody levels in endometriosis in a recent issue of…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic resection of bladder endometriosis
When we talk about deep-infiltrating endometriosis, one of the most commonly affected organs in the urinary tract is the bladder, with a prevalence of 80%. Bladder endometriosis can be defined as the existence of the endometrial glands and stroma inside…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative pregnancy outcomes in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis
Subperitoneal invasion of endometriotic lesions exceeding 5 mm in depth is named "deep infiltrating endometriosis' and can be located on uterosacral ligaments, in the intestine, vagina, bladder, and ureter. Women with deep infiltrating endometriosis suffer from pelvic pain and infertility most…
Key Points Lay SummaryFrom Finland : How to increase health issues in endometriosis patients
Dr. Henna-Riikka Rossi and associates from the University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland have published their recent prospective cohort study on possible existing comorbidities of endometriosis patients in the journal Fertility and Sterility. Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent chronic ailment affecting about…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Good is Ultra-Long GnRH-a Treatment Before IVF for Women With Endometriosis?
Pretreatment with ultra-long gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a), i.e. for at least three months before in vitro fertilization (IVF), has an adverse effect on patient pregnancy outcomes with endometriosis, according to a meta-analysis of the literature published in the Journal of…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparison of different IVF stimulation protocols for pregnancy success in infertile endometriosis patients
Women with endometriosis may suffer from reproductive problems up to an incidence of 50%. Several pathophysiological mechanisms including anatomic distortion, alterations in endometrial receptivity, diminished tubal peristalsis and sperm movements are the most responsible for the development of endometriosis-associated infertility.…
Key Points Lay SummaryHypoxia and endometriosis: A review of mechanisms
Various mechanisms have been suggested to explain the development of endometriosis lesions. One of these is hypoxia, which can induce changes in endometrial cells, but the exact mechanism is not yet clear. Zhou et al from China wrote a review…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of dysmenorrrhea
Asymptomatic endometriosis does not adversely affect women's quality of life and mental health. But the quality of life of women with endometriosis who suffer endometriosis-related pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and dysuria declines as they become more susceptible to anxiety and…
Key Points Lay SummaryMyofascial pain management and endometriosis
Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease that causes inflammation around pelvic muscles and peripheric nerves which ultimately may cause peripheral and central sensitization and result in increased response to pain. In the study conducted by Shrikhande at al. from the pelvic…
Key Points Lay SummaryConventional IVF or ICSI: Which one is more accurate in endometriosis-related infertility?
Although the prevalence of endometriosis is 10-15% in the general population at reproductive age, it is diagnosed more frequently in infertile women with a prevalence of 25-40%. Although the exact mechanism explaining the association between endometriosis and infertility has not…
Key Points Lay SummaryWomen With More Severe Endometriosis Have Fewer Eggs
Severe endometriosis negatively affects ovarian response and the quality of oocytes and embryos, according to a new study published in JBRA Assisted Reproduction. However, the rate of fertilization does not seem to be affected by endometriosis stage. These findings could…
Key Points Lay SummarySexual function in infertile women with PCOS and endometriosis
Women with endometriosis suffer from several symptoms and signs including dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility which have a detrimental effect on their quality of life. Sexual dysfunction also is a common problem for endometriosis patients due to complex…
Key Points Lay SummaryGastrointestinal symptoms in colorectal deep endometriosis
The colon, particularly the recto-sigmoid is the most commonly involved area in deep endometriosis. These patients suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms almost as much as pelvic pain symptoms the most common being reported as frequent and painful defecation. Gastrointestinal symptoms may…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and the body perception
The most common endometriosis-associated symptoms are pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility. Women with endometriosis should be managed due to the significant impact of these symptoms on their quality of life. Body perceptions of these women are also affected depending…
Key Points Lay SummaryCreating a reliable indirect immunofluorescence protocol as a promising diagnostic tool for endometriosis
Owing to its inflammatory nature, endometriosis results in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which disrupt the cellular functions and eventually lead the cell to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Senescence, the natural state of irreversible cell cycle arrest,…
Key Points Lay SummaryOvarian endometriomas, ovarian reserve, oocyte quality and IVF/ICSI outcomes
Surgery and assisted reproductive technology (ART) are the preferred treatments for endometrioma in infertile patients. When ART is considered, surgery may seem to have no advantages, as it may not improve pregnancy outcomes and may carry the risk of decreasing…
Key Points Lay SummaryObstetric Outcomes of Pre-pregnancy Endometriosis Surgery
Endometriosis may be associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including placenta praevia, preterm birth, premature prelabour rupture of membranes, obstetric hemorrhage, gestational hypertensive disorders, fetal growth restriction, and perinatal death. Some authors have attempted to demonstrate a causal relationship between endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryForeseeing what will be seen on laparoscopy
Endometriosis diagnosis still relies on preoperative prediction and its confirmation by taking biopsies. Thus, a prediction model for forecasting what would be waiting for the surgeon and the patient will be promising to get prepared. In the study conducted…
Key Points Lay SummaryDeep lateral parametrial endometriosis nerve-sparing surgery
Dr. Kanno et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Kurashiki medical center, Okayama, Japan recently published a deep lateral parametrial endometriosis case report in the journal named Fertility and Sterility. The aim is to demonstrate the technical and…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow beneficial is colorectal surgery for patients with deep endometriosis?
In cases of deep endometriosis, which causes more severe pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, the patient's quality of life and fertility outcomes are negatively affected. Surgical intervention is thought to be the optimal treatment method in colorectal deep endometriosis cases, however,…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative serum markers to predict serum AMH recovery following endometriosis surgery
Women with endometriosis seek treatment including ovarian cystectomy, because of symptoms that reduce their quality of life. Ovarian cystectomy using laparoscopic or robotic devices is the preferred therapy. However, it has been shown in the literature that ovarian reserve is…
Key Points Lay SummarySocial Support is a Predictor of Resilience in Women with Endometriosis
Satisfying social support and good mental health are key resources for resilience among patients with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. “The results of this study may assist in the identification of women…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Increases Risk of Sexual Dysfunction But Only Before Menopause
Endometriosis increases the risk of sexual dysfunction, found a new study by US scientists. But this is the case only before menopause. This finding can guide doctors in decision-making about evaluating the sexual function of women with endometriosis who have…
Key Points Lay SummaryTaller Girls More Likely to Have Recurring Endometriosis
Adolescents who are taller and have three or more lesions are at a higher risk of endometriosis recurrence following surgery, according to a new study by Chinese researchers published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. They should, therefore, be…
Key Points Lay SummaryA prediction model to identify endometriosis during routine ultrasound .
. Ureterolysis is an advanced surgical technique that involves dissection of the ureter from pelvic brim to the ureteric tunnel to avoid injury or freeing the ureter from endometriotic lesions. This manipulation usually requieres advanced surgical training and skill. In…
Key Points Lay SummaryParametrial endometriosis and postoperative voiding dysfunction.
Parametrium constitutes a complex connective tissue containing blood vessels, the ureter, and the inferior hypogastric plexus, that extends from the lateral surface of the cervix and vagina to the lateral pelvic wall. Parametrial endometriosis may involve the vessels, nerves, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryTurn around to come to the same spot: Nothing specific to predict AMH decline
Endometriomas are challenging lesions as they might cause a decline in ovarian function either only by their presence or related to their surgery. Thus, any preoperative parameter that might give a vision to a surgeon for postoperative results is crucial.…
Key Points Lay SummaryA call for mast cells from endometriotic lesions
Endometriosis is a well-known hormonal-dependent inflammatory disease. But what type of inflammatory cells is responsible, and when does estrogen take part, are questions that have not been answered yet. In the study conducted by Alison McCallion et al, the role…
Key Points Lay SummaryStudy Identifies Factors Associated With Risk of UrinaryTract Endometriosis Recurrence
Being younger than age 25 and having an autoimmune disease are significant predictors of the recurrence of urinary tract endometriosis after surgery according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Adjuvant hormonal therapy, on the…
Key Points Lay SummaryTo Remove the Ovary(ies) or Not During Hysterectomy for Endometriosis
Some surgeons prefer empiric bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy during the hysterectomy of women with endometriosis based on the knowledge that endometriosis is stimulated by endogenous estrogens, as leaving the ovaries in situ may increase the possibility of endometriosis recurrence and pelvic pain.…
Key Points Lay SummarySex Education For The Sexual Quality Of Life
The most common symptoms of endometriosis are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Decreased quality of life due to pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression can lead to sexual dysfunction in women with endometriosis.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis-associated infertility: How to manage?
Although the underlying reason for endometriosis has not been fully established, there is an association between endometriosis and infertility. Endometriosis is thought to be involved in 40-50 percent of infertility cases. However, natural conception can still occur even in women…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new potential therapeutic target in endometriosis: Galectin-3
The endometrial cells migrate and attach to the peritoneal surface according to the most widely accepted retrograde menstruation theory in endometriosis development. Given that only 10% of women have endometriosis, it is thought that some additional factors contribute to the…
Key Points Lay SummaryUnderstanding the expression of endometriosis-related pain: A barrier to overcome
It is difficult to describe the feeling of pain, one of the most important symptoms of endometriosis because it is subjective. Endometriosis-related pain is proven to be underestimated by some clinicians resulting in the patient getting a late diagnosis. It…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative outcomes of deep intestinal endometriosis surgery.
Invasion of endometriotic lesions to the bowels' mucosal and/or muscular levels is called intestinal deep endometriosis. These lesions are most frequently found in the rectosigmoid colon, followed by the rectum, ileum, appendix, and caecum. The optimal surgical approach to intestinal deep…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging for deep urinary tract endometrisis.
The prevalence of urinary tract endometriosis is 19-53% in patients within deep infiltrating endometriosis cases. The bladder and ureteral are the most common sites of the involvement. While preparing a radical surgery for a patient with deep endometriosis, the diagnosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis in transmasculine people
“Transmasculine” refers to people who were assigned female at birth but later identify themselves with masculinity. If they choose to transition to the male gender, they are then prescribed long-term testosterone and some may want to undergo a hysterectomy as…
Key Points Lay SummaryChronic pelvic pain and endometriosis
Patients may have an average of 7 clinical visits before being diagnosed with endometriosis. Understanding chronic pain conditions including endometriosis-associated pain, and developing chronic pelvic pain benefits the management of the patients. The role of central sensitization, comorbid conditions, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryWho Is Diagnosing my Endo?
It is possible to acquire the skills necessary to diagnose endometriosis lesions as well as adenomyosis using three-dimensional rectosonography after a short learning period in an expert radiology center. This is according to a new study by French researchers published…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgery Improves the Sex Life and Sleep of Women With Endometriosis
Endometriosis surgery improves patients’ quality of life, sexual function, and sleep confirms a new study by Turkish researchers published in the scientific journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. According to the first author Dr. Belfin Nur Arici Halici of the…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow does endometriosis affect the life course of the patients?
Endometriosis, as a chronic disease has impairing effects on women’s lives. Patients carry psychological, social, and work-related burdens along with debilitating physical symptoms. Studies have been performed on these issues at a particular time in patients’ lives, however, only a…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe evaluation of sexual dysfunction in infertile women
Infertility constitutes a serious health problem in women and men worldwide. The most common causes of women’s infertility are reported to be endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. The prevalence of infertility in women with endometriosis is as high as 50%.…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparison of imaging techniques for estimating the depth of bowel wall infiltration by endometriosis.
The surgical removal of deep endometriosis is the cornerstone of the management. However, the decision for the varying surgical approach types ranging from conservative management (shaving) to segmental or discoid resection depends on the depth of infiltration within the bowel wall, which…
Key Points Lay SummaryGeography May Influence Risk of Endometriosis
The risk of developing endometriosis seems to be geographically heterogeneous across France, according to results from a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The study identified 20 high-risk hotspots around the country. These showed similar results for non-adenomyosis endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryAbdominal wall endometriosis is not a rare disease as supposed
Abdominal wall endometriosis is an iatrogenic type of endometriosis defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue on the abdominal wall including skin, the rectus abdominis muscle, and rectus muscle sheath. Cyclical pain, mass located on the abdominal…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe incidence of ovarian cancer after histologically diagnosed endometriosis.
Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecologic cancers. Furthermore, these patients are generally diagnosed in advanced stage due to their non-symptomatic nature. Therefore, preventative strategies have enormous importance for the management of ovarian cancer. Dr. Hermens and colleagues…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich of the suggested environmental risk factors are indeed related to endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a complex disease with genetic and environmental factors in its poorly understood pathogenesis. Even though many epidemiological studies in the literature have proposed several risk factors, the lack of clear establishment and modification of these potential risk factors…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis diagnosis and management based on the best available evidence from published literature
ESHRE, "European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology" published a Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis in 2005 and then revised it in 2013. Based on new research and development there was a need to renew the last…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat are the most common symptoms of endometriosis and how are they related to age?
Even though the incidence of endometriosis is relatively high and numerous studies are being conducted to elucidate its pathogenesis, it is still a highly underdiagnosed and undertreated disease. The symptoms of the disease are well-known; however, the correlation between the…
Key Points Lay SummaryA revolutionary view on endometriosis related pain
Dr. Lydia Coxon and colleagues from Oxford University, UK, have recently published their cross-sectional study on the categorization of endometriosis-related pain in the journal "Frontiers in Pain Research". As a chronic inflammatory condition, endometriosis results in pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryPlanning surgery for recto-sigmoid endometriosis with 3D virtual models.
Efforts to reduce the high complication rate of rectosigmoid surgery in deeply infiltrated endometriosis are of great interest to gynecologists. 3D printing, currently used in various surgical specialties to support surgical planning and guide intraoperative procedures may be a way…
Key Points Lay SummaryProlactin receptor antibodies: A novel treatment proposal for endometriosis
Prolactin, a hormone that also acts as a proinflammatory cytokine through its receptor PRLR has been shown to be involved in endometriosis pathogenesis. Previous studies reported that women suffering from endometriosis had elevated prolactin levels. Also, in experimental studies done…
Key Points Lay SummaryImaging Techniques Able to Predict Depth of Endometriosis Before Surgery
Transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed by a specialist can accurately predict the depth of rectosigmoid endometriosis before surgery, according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Both approaches are similar…
Key Points Lay SummaryA novel scoring tool to standardize surgical complexity for gynecologists.
The field of gynecologic surgery needs a more comprehensive, objective, and reproducible method for assessing and communicating surgical complexity than the current approach. Actually, there is no formal image-based system that allows surgeons to categorize and communicate the complexity of…
Key Points Lay SummaryA novel approach to a common lesion: mapping adenomyosis by imaging modalities
Dr. Habiba from Leicester, UK, and Dr. Benagiano from Rome, Italy, have published their overview on adenomyosis in an attempt to set light on a clinically important topic in a recent issue of the "International Journal of Environmental Research and…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiaphragmatic defects, liver herniations and catamenial pneumothorax
Dr. Arakawa and associates from The Jikei Katsushika Medical Center, Japan, have published their recent case of catamenial pneumothorax with diaphragmatic defect and liver herniation in the "Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery". Catamenial pneumothorax is an uncommon condition with a reported…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiaphragmatic endometriosis
Diaphragmatic endometriosis is a rare clinical condition that may show signs and symptoms like chest pain, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, shoulder pain, pleuritic pain, hemothorax, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, and thoracic endometriosis syndrome while the major part of the patients is…
Key Points Lay SummaryUrinary Tract Endometriosis
Endometriosis is mostly seen in patients of fertile age, and urinary tract endometriosis affects 1.2 to 6% of women with endometriosis. French coloRectal Infiltrating ENDometriosis Study (FRIENDS) group investigated the characteristics of urinary tract endometriosis in 232 patients from 31 centers. Authors…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich surgical technique is best for rectal endometriosis?
One of the common sites for deep endometriosis is the intestines, with a rate of 3-37%. Intestinal endometriosis constitutes a serious cause of gastrointestinal symptoms, pain, and the alteration of the quality of life, with the rectum and sigmoid colon being…
Key Points Lay SummaryNerve-sparing technique for deep infiltrating endometriosis and its impacts on pelvic organ and sexual functions.
Deep infiltrating endometriosis and involvement of parametrium cause severe pelvic pain and dysfunction of some pelvic organs resulting in a reduction in women's quality of life. Although surgery for DIE aims to relieve pelvic pain, entering into the posterior parametrial…
Key Points Lay SummaryEffects of Bowel Endometriosis Surgery on Mode of Delivery
Less than a third of doctors counsel women about the possible effects of surgical treatment of bowel endometriosis on their mode of delivery should they become pregnant, according to a new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEgg or chicken, which is causing bladder symptoms, DIE or surgery for DIE?
Urinary symptoms could be overwhelming and sometimes could be hidden behind pain symptoms, but still might cause secondary damages on kidneys and bladder if remain undetected. In the prospective study conducted by Laterza et al, the authors questioned whether the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe necessity of laparoscopy for unexplained infertility.
The standard for accepting a couple as "infertile" is the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse. When this condition is met, assessing the number of motile sperm in the male partner and certifying the patency at…
Key Points Lay SummaryPhysical activity and exercise in reducing endometriosis symptoms
The treatment modalities to date on endometriosis have focused on the symptomatic relief and management of chronic pain. Hormonal suppression sometimes shows intolerable side effects and is known to lose effect after some time. Surgical interventions may not provide a…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs it iron that calls vessels to form endometriosis
The trigger mechanism of endometriosis formation is still under investigation. But it is clear that there is an iron overload on endometriotic lesions. In the study conducted by Guojing Li et al, the mechanism of iron on endometriosis formation has been…
Key Points Lay SummaryMachine learning tools to predict endometriosis
The current gold standard diagnostic method for endometriosis is the surgical diagnosis and yet no approaches have been found to replace it. In the study conducted by Sofiane Bendifallah et al, the authors aimed to use machine learning algorithms to…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe relevance of mitosis in endometriotic tissue biopsies
Dr. Wetzk and co-workers from the Technical University, Dresden, Germany have published a retrospective study on the diagnostic impact of mitotic activity in the endometriotic lesion biopsies in the recent issue of the journal “Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde”. Guidelines highly recommend a…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich one is more effective for the preservartion of postoperative ovarian reserve?
Although cystectomy is the most preferred treatment of endometrioma, it is still a matter of debate as it may cause a reduction in the quality and number of remaining follicles, especially important for women who are planning to conceive. Anti-Müllerian…
Key Points Lay SummaryPlacenta praevia and cesarean section more common in patients with ART for Endometriosis
Even though endometriosis is known to be associated with infertility, these women still have a chance to get pregnant spontaneously or by assisted reproduction techniques (ART) with the aid of recent technological developments. A It has also been shown that…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and women’s social lives, work and education.
The women with endometriosis present with a broad clinical spectrum including pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility. All of these symptoms and signs may have a negative impact on women’s lives by having endometriosis. Mastrangelo and Turnbull, from Australia, published…
Key Points Lay SummarySexual Function in Women With Endometriosis
The sexual function of women diagnosed with endometriosis is impaired confirmed a new study by Spanish researchers published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. According to the study, the strongest predictive factors for poor sexual function are deep disease, depression,…
Key Points Lay SummaryRelationship Goals and Sexual Satisfaction for Couples Coping with Endometriosis
"Relationship satisfaction" is based on an individual's emotional judgment. Physical and emotional obstacles may present and negatively affect relationship satisfaction. Endometriosis is associated with multiple life domains, and also includes relationship and sexual satisfaction. Sexual satisfaction, on the other hand,…
Key Points Lay SummaryA plea from pathologists: standardized protocols for adenomyosis and endometriosis
Pathologist Drs. Camboni and Marbaix from Brussels, Belgium published their comprehensive review on adenomyosis and endometriosis titled “Ectopic endometrium: the pathologists’ perspective” in a recent issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Endometriosis and adenomyosis are well-known entities as…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of hormone therapy after surgical menopause on endometriosis recurrence
Definitive surgery for severe and advanced endometriosis is hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy, which may cause vasomotor symptoms, sleep deprivation, mood change, and dyspareunia in the patients. Furthermore, after the surgical removal of the ovaries, the sudden drop in estrogens causes…
Key Points Lay SummaryLife quality improves after colorectal endometriosis operation even when the gastrointestinal symptoms persist
Colorectal endometriosis represents a catastrophic picture for patients, and the treatment mostly requires difficult operative techniques. The life quality improvement ratios are important before deciding on an operation. In the study conducted by Horace Roman et al, the life quality…
Key Points Lay SummaryEnvironmental factors play a role in the development of endometriosis
The proposed mechanisms underlying the development of endometriosis may be classified into three groups: in-situ theory, implantation theories, and induction theories. Genetic, hormonal, environmental, and lifestyle-related factors are also involved as no mechanism is solely responsible for endometriosis development. Although there are…
Key Points Lay SummaryUrinary Function Alterations after Surgery for Deep Endometriosis.
Laparoscopic surgery is a mainstay therapy for symptomatic patients with DE. Although our findings of improvement in many domains of urinary function are encouraging, postoperative deterioration in urinary function was found for patients with initial normal function. More research is…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Increases the Risk of Premature Labor Study Reports
Women with endometriosis who conceive naturally are at a high risk of giving birth prematurely and having their baby admitted to neonatal intensive care unit, compared to women without the disease, according to the results of a clinical study. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryPersistence of Chronic Pelvic Pain after Hysterectomy
Chronic pelvic pain is defined as the "pain in the pelvic area that lasts for 6 months or longer". There are several gynecological, urological, and gastrointestinal reasons for the development of chronic pelvic pain. Nociceptive pain or central sensitization is…
Key Points Lay SummaryImprovement of sexual-life quality in patients with endometrioma
Endometriosis is a painful disease that affects daily life as well as sexual life quality. In the study conducted by Yalcin Bahat et al, the researchers questioned the effect of periodic use of dydrogesterone on the sexual life quality of patients with…
Key Points Lay SummaryAssisted Reproductive Technology Outcomes in Women with and without Endometriosis
Endometriosis causes infertility in one-third of patients, while in approximately 25-35% of infertile women, the cause is endometriosis. The primary interest and the question of Moss et al. from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia was "the differences in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryRoutine preoperative ureteral stent and complications in Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
Deep infiltrative endometriosis is a devastating disease that includes both anterior and posterior compartments, and ureteral infiltration with endometriotic nodules affects 1 to 6% of all deep infiltrative endometriosis patients. In the study conducted by Giulia Borghese et al., the…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of surgery before IVF in infertile women with endometrioma
Among the women with endometriosis, 30 to 50% are estimated to have infertility. On the contrary, among women who present with infertility, 25 to 50% are estimated to also have endometriosis. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the association…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdenomyosis in adolescents
Dr. Exacoustos and colleagues from two tertiary referral university hospitals in Italy published their results on adenomyosis in adolescent patients in a recent issue of “The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology”. Adenomyosis is the presence of endometrial glands and stroma…
Key Points Lay SummaryBest practice: How to reduce intraoperative bleeding?
Although laparoscopic hysterectomy is a popular and common approach for removing benign uterine lesions, some technical steps especially concerning uterine artery closure depend on the surgeon's preference. Uterine artery ligation may be performed either at the uterus level, which is common…
Key Points Lay SummaryCatching endometriosis from the front line: educating general practitioners
It should be repetitively pronounced that "endometriosis is very common and it is very important to diagnose it as soon as possible before it causes lifelong damage to women’s lives". The sooner the better concerning the diagnosis, and this is…
Key Points Lay SummaryA rare complication of endometriosis
Morales et al. from the Monterrey School of Medicine, Mexico, reported a case of bowel intussusception in a woman with severe endometriosis to draw attention to this very rare endometriosis complication. The case is a 27 years old young female…
Key Points Lay SummaryDepression and Anxiety Common in Women with Endo
Symptoms of depression and anxiety are frequent among women with endometriosis and are related to chronic pain, confirms a review of the literature and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Women's Health. According to the study authors, correlating factors should…
Key Points Lay SummaryTechnical Facts for the Prevention of Complications After Deep Endometriosis Surgery
There are no differences in the risk of rectovaginal fistula in women with rectovaginal endometriosis who were managed by a liberal or restrictive policy of preventive stoma according to a study by French researchers published in the Journal of Minimally…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to measure the length of recto-sigmoid deep endometriosis reliably?
An in-depth assessment is needed when rectosigmoid deep endometriosis is decided to be treated surgically. Surgery carries a lot of risks and it is not always easy to decide which procedure the patient would benefit the most from. Patient-oriented surgical…
Key Points Lay SummaryNot just the pain stops but also the bowel function improves after DIE surgery
Bowel endometriosis and the techniques to operate it have always been a challenge. The study conducted by Beraldo et al., from Brazil, highlighted the results of an effective nerve-sparing bowel surgery on endometriosis lesions and its long-term effects on patients. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs the presence of nerve fibers in the endometrium associated with endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a common disease in reproductive women and diagnostic imaging have a limited role in its diagnosis. The gold standard diagnostic method remains to be the histopathological examination of the tissue obtained via laparoscopy. One of its most common…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of adenomyosis on sexual life
Considering the similar etiopathogenesis and pain symptoms between adenomyosis and deep infiltrating endometriosis, Alcalde et al. from the Department of Gynecology, University of Barcelona, Spain, aimed to call attention to the presence of potential sexual dysfunction not only in patients with deep…
Key Points Lay SummaryMedical Examination Reduces Anxiety in Women With Suspected Endometriosis
Anxiety levels go down after medical examination in women with suspected endometriosis, found a study by Italian researchers that was published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research. This was especially pronounced in women who had higher baseline distress and who…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes exercise have an effect on pain perception in women with endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease causing pain symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and also infertility. Several medical and surgical treatment options have been developed to improve quality of life of these women. Despite extensive research, the optimal…
Key Points Lay SummaryMicroRNAs in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and infertility
The gold standard in the diagnosis of endometriosis is laparoscopy and histopathological diagnosis, however search for a non-invasive method has been ongoing. Some biomarkers such as Cancer Antigen 125 have been thought to be useful, but because of their low…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative ovulation induction in infertile women with minimal to mild endometriosis
Infertility is an important problem that is encountered in 30-50% of women with endometriosis. Several etiopathogenetic mechanisms for the development of reproductive problems in women with endometriosis have been proposed including abnormal peritoneal microenvironment, ovarian dysfunction and/or decreased oocyte quality,…
Key Points Lay SummaryWomen reject using hormonal drugs for endometriosis, an accelerating need for nonhormonal medications
Although the pathophysiology of endometriosis is poorly understood, endocrine drugs are widely used for reducing inflammation and patients’ symptoms. Burla and colleagues aimed to evaluate the patients’ thoughts and expectations about the endocrine drugs which are used in the treatment…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Surgical Management of Endometriosis of the Ureter and Bladder
Laparoscopic surgery is feasible and safe to manage endometriosis of the ureter and bladder, according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. According to the authors of the study, ureteral resection is more strongly associated…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe higher the cyst fluid iron concentration, the more severe the pain symptom for endometrioma
Endometriosis usually is encountered in three different forms: superficial peritoneal endometriosis, ovarian cysts (endometrioma) and deep infiltrating endometriosis. Endometrioma can be identified as cystic lesions consisting of dark brown endometrial fluid and are sometimes referred to as "chocolate cysts." The presence…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis scar disruption may lead to "spontaneous hemorrhage in pregnancy" and can be life-threatening.
Kollikonda et al from Cleveland Clinic Women's Health Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, US penned a case report about their hemoperitoneum experience during labor, which was recently published in the "Journal of Obstetrics and Gyneaecology Canada". The aim is to warn obstetricians…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to predict the complications after laparoscopic bowel resection in women with endometriosis
The endometriotic lesions infiltrating the bowel wall more than 5 mm. are called "deep infiltrating endometriosis". The patients having bowel involvement may have constipation, diarrhea, tenesmus, or rectal bleeding. Surgical management is the main treatment modality to provide benefits on pain, infertility,…
Key Points Lay SummaryEvaluation of preoperative risk factors of ureteral endometriosis
Endometriosis affects the urinary tract in 1% to 5.5% of the patients, and among them, bladder involvement is 70-85%, while ureteral involvement alone is 9% to 23%. Ureteral endometriosis is most commonly unilateral, especially on the left side, usually affecting…
Key Points Lay SummaryPromising potential research topic: diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis
Dr. Toczek and collegues from the Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynecology of Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, have published a review paper on possible diagnostic aid of cytokines in endometriosis. This review appears in May issue…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich is the best for ovarian reserve preservation? Hemostatic agent or coagulation?
The way of ovarian parenchymal bed hemostasis following ovarian cystectomy is crucial for ovarian reserve protection, and discussions about different techniques on this issue are ongoing. Multiport laparoscopic surgery is the standard method for ovarian surgeries, but laparoendoscopic single-site cystectomy became…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe endless burden: sexual dysfunction and endometriosis
The relationship between endometriosis and sexual health in women is one of the hottest topics in obstetrics and gynecology practice. There are some previous reports that investigated the effect of endometriosis on the loss of libido, arousal disorder, orgasmic dysfunction,…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat Happens to Endometriosis Patients After Endometriosis Surgery?
Although few patients with endometriosis who undergo a hysterectomy need repeat surgery, up to 25% of them need minor surgery. Around 20% of patients who undergo conservative surgery with ovarian preservation require additional endometriosis surgery. Up to one in three…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis in intestine! Segmental resection or linear nodulectomy?
Intestinal involvement of endometriosis is common, and the incidence was defined between 45-56%. Previous studies investigating the role of surgery in the management of intestinal endometriosis reported improvement of life quality in up to 95% of cases following surgery. However,…
Key Points Lay SummaryOptimal management of infertility in endometriosis patients
Pelvic pain and infertility are the main symptoms of endometriosis patients. Although the pathophysiological mechanism for infertility is not clearly understood, there are several theories explaining decreased fertility potential in women with endometriosis. Ata and Telek, from Koc and Istanbul Universities…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and susceptibility to COVID-19
Dr. Moazzami and associates from Pars Advanced and Minimally Invasive Medical Manners Research Center, Tehran, Iran have published their results on COVID-19 in endometriosis patients in the medical journal named "BMC’s Women’s Health". COVID-19 is still an emerging critical global health problem…
Key Points Lay SummaryTargeting Endometriosis From a Different Angle
Dopamine agonists could help reduce the size of endometriosis lesions and minimize pain, while maintaining ovulation, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Human Reproduction. This constitutes a completely different approach in targeting endometriosis according to Dr.…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative treatment and pregnancy points to decreased recurrence risk for ovarian endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease most frequently diagnosed in women of reproductive age and negatively affects the quality of life. The most common localization for endometriosis is ovaries with a prevalence of 17-44%. Laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy performed as excision or ablation…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis, ART, fertility preservation
This review entitled "The impact of endometriosis on the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques: role of fertility preservation" was written by Necula et al. from Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit, Biel, Switzerland, and recently published in the journal "Hormone, Molecular Biology and Clinical…
Key Points Lay SummaryControlled use of bipolar cauterization as an alternative to endometrioma cystectomy
The main symptoms of endometriosis are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Ablation or coagulation of the cyst wall following laparoscopic drainage of endometrioma may be an alternative treatment for patients with pregnancy intention. Carbon dioxide, laser, and plasma energy…
Key Points Lay SummaryPerineal Endometriosis, How Soon Does it Return After Surgery?
The higher the body mass index (BMI) of a woman during delivery and within one month after delivery, the quicker the symptoms of perineal endometriosis return. This is according to a recent study that appeared in the World Journal of…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe influence of endometrioma and surgery on ovarian reserve
Women with endometriosis and endometrioma, often have subfertility. These patients present considerable problems for the evaluation of ovarian reserve. One of the well-known ovarian reserve biomarkers is anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels. So far, it was known that the reduction of…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effects of endometriosis on life satisfaction.
Endometriosis is well-known for its debilitating effects on women suffering from it. In the review conducted by Masoumeh Namazi et al, the authors have collected studies searching for the wellbeing of women with endometriosis. They have analyzed 46 studies that…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Sexual Satisfaction
Endometriosis affects the ability to have an orgasm during sexual intercourse, according to a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. However, the disease does not have an effect on reaching orgasm via masturbation or sexual activities with a…
Key Points Lay SummaryEnvironmental to occupational exposure, and possible risk factors for endometriosis.
Many objects in daily use are made of plasticizing agents. Studies suggest that chronic exposure to these agents are toxic to reproductive organs and cause metabolic disorders. For example, diethyl phthalate is still in use in cosmetic products. Caporossi et…
Key Points Lay SummaryDNA damage response in eutopic endometria of endometriosis patients
The DNA damage response (DDR) is a network of cellular pathways that sense, signal, and repair the lesions occurring in DNA. Surveillance proteins that monitor DNA integrity activate the DNA repair pathways in response to DNA damage and try to prevent the generation of potentially deleterious mutations. Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpaired fertility potential in endometriosis patients
Infertility is frequently encountered in endometriosis patients because of anatomic distortion, alterations in endometrial receptivity, diminished tubal peristalsis and sperm movements. Garcia-Fernandez and García-Velasco, from Edinburgh, UK and Madrid, Spain, published a mini-review titled “Endometriosis and Reproduction: What We Have…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe improvement of fertility rate and symptoms of superficial endometriosis following laparoscopic peritoneal stripping
Pain, in the form of diverse entities, including dyspareunia, dysuria, dyschezia, is the main symptom of endometriosis patients. The severity of pain is independent of the extent and the location of the disease, and generally causes a negative impact on…
Key Points Lay SummaryA comparison of symptomatology and histopathologic features in surgically resected colorectal endometriosis
Dr. Tschan and associates from Feldrich Academic Teaching Hospital, Austria published their retrospective research on patients requiring colorectal surgical resection for endometriosis in European Journal of Medical Research. Bowel endometriosis requiring colorectal surgical resection causes important morbidity. The rectum and…
Key Points Lay SummaryOxidative stress, reactive products, detoxification, endometriosis and pain
Oxidative stress is one factor known to be involved in the pathogenesis, progression, and establishment of endometriosis in women. During oxidative stress, excess reactive oxygen species as a secondary by-product of lipid peroxidation and reactive aldehyde including 4- hydroxynonenal…
Key Points Lay SummaryLive Birth Rate in Women Who Underwent Fresh Embryo Transfer Using Freshly Retrieved Donor Oocytes
One of the important clinical findings in women with endometriosis is reproductive problems. Infertility can be encountered in up to 50% of women with endometriosis and up to 50% of women with infertility can be diagnosed with endometriosis. Several pathophysiologic…
Key Points Lay SummaryHigh-dose progestin intake and sexual functions in endometriosis patients
Dr. Oppenheimer et al. from the Department of Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Preservation of Antoine Beclere University Hospital, Clamart, France, recently published this bi-center observational prospective study in "Acta Obstetrica et Gynecologica Scandinavica". The study was designed to put forth…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis, Fatigue and Productivity
Fatigue is one of the prominent and distressing symptoms of endometriosis-associated with insomnia, depression, pain, occupational stress, and reduced health-related quality of life. Endometriosis-related fatigue causes significant impairments in workplace productivity and daily activities of women with endometriosis. Loss of…
Key Points Lay SummaryDeep endometriosis treatment options based on the patient's decision
Deep endometriosis, defined as endometriotic lesions penetrating deeper than 5 mm into the peritoneum comprise approximately 20% of all endometriosis cases. This invasive disease causes a significant reduction in the quality of life, social participation, and sexual health of affected…
Key Points Lay SummaryExploring the Role of Neuropathy in Re-Operative Endometriosis - Marc Possover, MD, PhD
Prof. Possover starts his presentation by summarizing the possible cause of pelvic neuropathy following endometriosis surgery. Pelvic neuropathy is the damage or dysfunction of the pelvic nerve. Prof. Possover explained that this could either be due to incomplete surgery, disease…
Key Points Lay SummaryOperative techniques for Deep Endometriosis Surgery - Shaheen Khazali, MD
In this presentation, Dr. Shaheen Khazali, an endometriosis surgeon specialized in gastrointestinal and urinary tract endometriosis excision and in neuropelveology, talks about the general principles and some techniques for endometriosis surgery focusing on rectovaginal endometriosis. He also describes the "ten…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic Approach to Rectus Muscle Endometriosis and Inguinal Endometriosis - Ted Lee, MD
Rectus muscle endometriosis and inguinal endometriosis are two rare types of endometriosis. Operation room videos of several patients with different rectus muscle endometriosis and inguinal endometriosis are shared during the presentation of Dr. Lee to clarify the methods of the…
Key Points Lay SummaryRole of Prophylactic Oophorectomy in Endometriosis Patients with Ovarian Cancer History in the family - Farr Nezhat, MD
Dr. Nezhat starts his presentation by outlining his objectives, which are to review the basics of cancer genetics, give an overview about endometriosis and ovarian cancer, discuss the pathogenesis of malignant transformation of endometriosis, and talk about the clinical implications…
Key Points Lay SummaryImplantation failure in endometriosis patients - Jovana Lekovich, MD., PhD.
Endometriosis is one of the leading reasons for infertility due to decreased oocyte/embryo quality, fertilization ability, tubal function, and aberrant endometrial receptivity. Whether this failure is caused by oocyte/embryo or eutopic endometrium is one of the investigated topics in endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryIn vitro fertilization protocols in endometriosis patients - Pinar Kodaman, MD., PhD.
Infertility is frequently encountered in endometriosis patients because of anatomic distortion, alterations in endometrial receptivity, diminished tubal peristalsis, and sperm movements. Even though the disease stage and presence of endometrioma is negatively correlated with infertility, it is unpredictable which women…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Increase the Risk of Endometriosis?
The use of cosmetics and personal care products may be increasing the risk of endometriosis according to a study by Spanish researchers that was published in the journal "Environmental Research". This finding suggests that restricting the use of these products may…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and the sexual relations of the couples
From the viewpoint of endometriotic women, the pain during the penetration is not the only complaint. They also have growing depression and anxiety leading to difficulties with their social and sexual relationship, work, and study. The emotional impact of sub-infertility,…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis involving the Sacral Plexus and Sciatic Nerve
Endometriosis rarely involves the sacral and sciatic nerves. A retrospective analysis led by Rouen University Hospital, France and Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, has evaluated preoperative complaints, intraoperative findings, surgical procedures, and postoperative…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrioma size and anti-Müllerian hormone levels
Endometriotic lesions are encountered in different locations in the pelvic cavity, including but not limited to the ovaries, the pouch of Douglas, the ureters, the bladder, and the bowel. Cystic endometriosis lesions located in the ovary are called "endometrioma". Endometriomas have…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes hysterectomy bring a total relief in patients with endometriosis?
There is a common belief that hysterectomy is the last option to relieve the pain in patients with endometriosis by stopping the production of menstrual material. The study entitled "Impact of hysterectomy on analgesic, psychoactive and neuroactive drug use in…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and chronic opioid use
The members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have declared that gynecologists prescribe opioids after laparoscopic hysterectomy, or for relieving endometriosis pain, although guidelines are not available for when or how to use opioids for the treatment of endometriosis-associated…
Key Points Lay SummaryReduced risk of "small for gestational age baby" following frozen embryo transfer in endometriosis patients
Infertility is encountered frequently in patients with endometriosis. These women could be managed using assisted reproductive technology (ART) including in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to achieve pregnancy. However, some adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes are experienced more…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparison of diagnostic accuracy of imaging modalities for the deep infiltrating endometriosis
The treatment of deeply infiltrated endometriosis (DIE) is usually personalized and the potential success for the available therapeutical options is dependent on early and accurate diagnosis. Laparoscopy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of DIE. Other non-invasive diagnostic methods…
Key Points Lay SummaryA pilot study for Endometriosis Potential biomarkers
Endometriosis is one of the most common female health disorders typically causing dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and pelvic pain, and may contribute to infertility. It is necessary to identify potential molecular biomarkers for diagnosis and regulatory factors behind the disease. The study…
Key Points Lay SummaryMagnetic resonance imaging classification for the management of deep pelvic endometriosis
A new study published in the journal "Human Reproduction" reported that operating time, hospital stay, and postoperative complications in patients who underwent surgery for deep endometriosis can be predicted by the MRI. This result may be useful for clinicians to…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatients' opinion about surgical treatment of endometriosis
Delayed diagnosis and management of endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain is a major problem in gynecologic practice. Alternatively, providers may feel reluctant to perform surgery although they are aware of treatment options and surgical timing. One possible reason for this…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new Marker to Detect Endometriosis and Its Severity?
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) could be a novel marker that could help diagnose endometriosis as well as to detect its severity. This is according to a new study by researchers in Egypt, published in the scientific journal "BMC Women’s Health".…
Key Points Lay SummarySegmental bowel resection could be predicted using MRI in patients with rectal endometriosis
The rectum and recto-sigmoid junction are the preferential localisations of bowel endometriosis. The three main surgical approaches are shaving, disc excision, and segmental resection. It is very important to decide the most appropriate surgical method preoperatively and to plan accordingly. …
Key Points Lay SummaryDyspareunia and Endometriosis
Women experience severe pain during intercourse related to endometriosis and this has a significant negative impact on the lives of women. This is according to an American study published in the "Journal of Pain Research". The study included 638 endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryAssessment of Reproductive Health for Women With Endometriosis
Researchers in Iran developed a new and reliable patient-generated instrument to measure the reproductive health of women with endometriosis. Health providers as well as researchers can use the questionnaire to better understand the impact of the disease on women’s reproductive health…
Key Points Lay SummaryStem cell and exosome therapy
These days, two experimental methods, stem cell, and exosome therapy are getting more attention. Stem cell therapy has shown promising effects in regenerative medicine, including myocardial infarction, nervous system impairment, retinal damage, and liver diseases. Recent studies showed that stem…
Key Points Lay SummaryDepression and anxiety levels in "in vitro fertilization" patients with endometriosis
Endometriosis is a reproductive-aged and estrogen-dependent disease. The most common symptoms of this disease are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility affecting the quality of life in several aspects mainly the psychological domain. In the literature, there are many studies…
Key Points Lay SummaryPain and Quality of Life Following Surgical Treatment for Endometriosis
Currently, laparoscopy is the preferred approach as a surgical treatment of endometriosis. Many studies have shown the effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery to reduce the painful symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients with endometriosis in the short term…
Key Points Lay SummaryTime for reassessment : Laparoscopic surgery and bowel endometriosis
Ferrero and associates from medical centers of Verona and Genoa, Italy, made a comprehensive review covering all aspects of the surgical approach to bowel endometriosis, published their results in "Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology". Bowel endometriosis is the…
Key Points Lay SummaryPredictors of voiding dysfunction after surgery for deep endometriosis
While surgery for deep endometriosis provides relief and improves the quality of life in symptomatic patients for whom medical therapy has limited effect, it may also create postoperative lower urinary tract dysfunction. Moreover, postoperative voiding dysfunction could affect the quality…
Key Points Lay SummarySleep Quality, Lifestyle Factors and Endometriosis
Endometriosis does not only affect the patients by dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. An important issue in these patients, like other chronic diseases, is sleep quality. Youseflu et al., from Iran, published a study entitled “Effects of endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryFactors affecting the quality of life of women with endometriosis
Results from a new study suggest that the quality of life of women with endometriosis is significantly affected by their confidence to manage pain and their belief in the evolution of their condition. In this study, led by Rees M. et…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrium and HOXA 10 gene
Homeobox genes are transcription factors containing a conserved DNA sequence that encodes homeodomain which has a helix-loop-helix-turn structure. The homeodomain is responsible for recognizing and binding specific DNA sequences to regulate the expression of target genes. There are at least…
Key Points Lay SummaryDeep Endometriosis or Recto-uterine Obliteration Without Endometrioma
The diagnostic help of ultrasound is increasing by its ability to diagnose deep infiltrating and rectouterine pouch obliteration in patients who are suffering from chronic pelvic pain. Clinicians are used to evaluating the rectal and parametrial areas of the endometriotic…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntioxidant Enzymes in Endometriosis
Recent attention has been focused on the effect of oxidative stress in the development of endometriosis. Especially, there are several studies regarding glutathione peroxidase (GPX), a major enzyme in removing various reactive oxygen species. In the field of infertility, the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe advantages of combined vaginal-laparoscopic approach on voiding dysfunction for rectovaginal endometriosis
The patients with rectovaginal endometriotic nodules with extensive vaginal infiltration who are managed combined vaginal-laparoscopic approach have a lower risk of postoperative bladder dysfunction when compared to surgery via laparoscopy alone. This is according to a manuscript published in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryInhibiting killer on the move
The three main forms of endometriosis are superficial, ovarian, and deep endometriosis. The latter is defined by the presence of endometriotic nodules that are deeper than 5 mm. Deep endometriosis is considered the most aggressive and is associated with severe…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe impact of laser vaporization on reproductive outcomes in women with endometrioma
Despite extensive research, the optimal method for the management of endometriosis still remains unclear. Excisional surgery is claimed with a more favorable outcome than drainage and ablation regarding the recurrence of disease and symptoms. On the other hand, cyst vaporization…
Key Points Lay SummaryProgesterone Receptors and Endometriosis.
Endometriosis is characterized as a chronic and inflammatory disease in which the specific cause has not been completely understood. Nonetheless, altered estrogen signaling and progesterone resistance are the common attributes of endometriosis. Progesterone resistance is partly attributed to a decrease…
Key Points Lay SummaryBenefits of Nerve-Sparing Hysterectomy
The retroperitoneal spread of endometriosis or cancer may involve pelvic autonomic nerves situated on the lateral aspects of uterosacral ligaments, vesicouterine ligaments, and medial aspects of parametria. During the conventional open hysterectomy operations, nerve-sparing excision is very difficult, simply because pelvic autonomic nerves…
Key Points Lay SummaryVoiding Dysfunction after Colorectal Surgery for Endometriosis
Postoperative voiding dysfunction is a less frequent complication of rectal shaving than that of discoid excision or segmental resection in patients undergoing colorectal surgery for endometriosis, regardless of its definition. This is according to a meta-analysis conducted by researchers from…
Key Points Lay SummaryPrevalence, Risk factors and Management of Bowel Fistula after Rectosigmoid Surgery for Deep Endometriosis
Bowel fistula is a severe complication after the colorectal endometriosis surgery, but little is known about its prevalence, and reports on large series are lacking. To discuss specific management on colorectal deep endometriosis, Roman et al. conducted a retrospective study…
Key Points Lay SummaryFallopian tubes and endometriosis
There are multiple theories to explain the pathogenesis of endometriosis, among which the most popular one is Sampson's retrograde menstruation theory. The role of endometrial stem cells/progenitors are widely studied to support the origin of ectopic lesions in recent decades.…
Key Points Lay SummaryClinical characteristics linked to recurrence of ovarian endometrioma
Endometriosis affects 10-15% of women. Three types of endometriosis are peritoneal, ovarian, and deep infiltrating endometriosis. Ovarian endometriosis is the most common type of endometriosis with a high rate of recurrence. Laparoscopy is the gold standard treatment for endometriosis and…
Key Points Lay SummaryA New Treatment Approach for Endometriosis?
A new approach may be effective at relieving pain associated with endometriosis according to a study published in the PM&R Journal. The new technique may also improve “overall pelvic function, particularly in relation to intercourse, working, and sleeping,” according to the…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdolescent endometriosis
A recent article, led by experts from Peking Medical Union College, describes the clinical characteristics and postoperative symptoms of adolescent endometriosis. The authors inform that their report, which is published in the "Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology", can provide…
Key Points Lay SummaryHysterectomy as a choise of chronic pelvic pain relief in endometriotic women.
Sandstrom et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Umea University, Sweden, found a significant and long-lasting reduction in pain symptoms after hysterectomy among women with confirmed endometriosis and recently published their results in "BJOG". The authors performed…
Key Points Lay SummaryCancer-associated mutations and endometriosis
Endometriosis is thought to benign gynecological disease. However, recent studies compiled in this review paper suggest that spontaneous somatic mutations are driven to occur during the cyclic bleeding resulting in endometriosis tissue undergoing repeated tissue injury and repair. Mutations are…
Key Points Lay SummaryLocal inflammation and follicle development in women with ovarian endometriosis
Endometriosis, a cause of subfertility, is found in almost 50% of infertile women. The elevated levels of cytokines in the follicular fluid of patients with endometriosis might account for the ovulatory dysfunction. Granulosa cells (GCs) play important roles in follicular…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnogenital distance and endometriosis
Endometriosis may be associated with exposure of the embryo to chemicals called ‘endocrine disruptors’. Exposure to endocrine disruptors can be estimated by measuring the anogenital distance (i.e. the distance between the clitoris and the anus), using a centimeter ruler with…
Key Points Lay SummaryInternational experts commentary for assisted fertility treatment facilities amidst COVID-19
A multinational and multi-institutional commentary led by Dr. Alviggi from Italy and Dr.Esteves from Brazil has addressed important issues on assisted reproductive technology treatment amid COVID-19 lockdown suggesting remedies in the journal of "Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology" May 2020 issue.…
Key Points Lay SummaryRace, socioeconomic status, and health
Racial disparities in health have been long noted in the United States. The differences in socioeconomic status across racial groups are a major contributor to racial disparities in health. However, race reflects multiple dimensions of social inequality. Understanding and effectively…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiscrepancies between racial/ethnic groups and choice of hysterectomy procedures
Dr. Pollack and associates from Washington University, St.Louis, made multistate research regarding the patient profile in hysterectomies and published their results in the 2019 December issue of "The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology". The most frequently performed nonobstetric surgery in…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe predictors for sexual dysfunction in infertile women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity. Its incidence ranges up to 10% of reproductive-aged women. The most common symptoms in these women are chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryUltrasound diagnosis of endometriosis: One Size Does-Not-Fit-All
Deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is an advanced form of endometriosis that causes significant morbidity to many women. The Pouch of Douglas (POD), otherwise known as the rectouterine space, is the anatomic area between the posterior cervix and anterior rectum. Its…
Key Points Lay SummaryRisk Factors Associated with Ureteral Endometriosis
Patients with severe endometriosis, uterosacral ligament deep involvement with endometriosis lesions of 3 cm in diameter or more, and the presence of previous endometriosis surgery have a significantly higher risk of having ureteral endometriosis. This is according to a study…
Key Points Lay SummaryResveratrol for infertility: A frenemy?
Ovarian aging is defined by an age-specific decline of the functional ovarian reserve. Female ovarian reserve declines progressively with increasing chronological age. Chronic damage by reactive oxygen species results in deterioration and aging through mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere shortening, cohesion dysfunction,…
Key Points Lay SummaryAppendiceal endometriosis
Jeong et al. from the Departement of Surgery, Trinity School of Medicine, Saint Vincent, recently published their interesting appendectomy case in "Hong Kong Medical Journal". In their case, endometriosis inside the cavity of the appendix mimicked appendicitis, the patient submitted…
Key Points Lay SummaryMaternal body mass index and neonatal outcomes in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Its prevalence is 10-15% in the general population of this age. However, endometriosis is diagnosed more frequently in infertile women with a prevalence of…
Key Points Lay SummaryHysterolaparoscopy Plus Assisted Reproduction Improves Fertility in Women with Endometriosis
Hysteroscopy and laparoscopic surgery is an effective and reliable therapeutic procedure, confirmed a study published in the "Journal of Clinical Medicine". The approach is even more effective when combined with assisted reproductive techniques such as artificial insemination and in vitro…
Key Points Lay SummaryTransvaginal sonography for predicting the distance between rectosigmoid endometriosis and the anal verge
For optimal surgery, pre-surgical assessment of the distance between rectosigmoid deep endometriosis lesions and the anal verge (Lesion to Anal Verge Distance-LAVD) is recommended by many specialists. A group of researchers from Norway, Austria, and Australia studied the accuracy of…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgical approach to rectovaginal endometriosis.
Recto-vaginal endometriosis incidence is estimated at 3.8%-37% among women with endometriosis and when it exists it's a part of deeply infiltrated endometriosis, thus advance stage endometriosis. Raimondo et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of…
Key Points Lay SummarytRNA-derived fragments in ovarian endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent mysterious disorder characterized by the presence of endometrium outside the normal location of the uterus cavity. This disease affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women and becomes a major reason for infertility in reproductive-aged women and dysmenorrhea…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntioxidants inhibit autophagy in ectopic endometrial cells
Factors involved in the development of ectopic endometrium are not well-known, but several reports demonstrate a potential role for the pathophysiological processes including autophagy. Studies show that autophagy plays a significant role in endometriosis but the key mechanisms underlying the…
Key Points Lay SummaryFertility preservation protocols in women with endometriosis
Infertility is one of the major symptoms in women with endometriosis. Childbearing at a delayed age is preferred by the majority of women recently who consult for the demand for fertility preservation procedures. There are several techniques for fertility preservation…
Key Points Lay SummaryEarly Life Factors for Endometriosis
Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women. Despite the significant impact, the etiology of endometriosis is still unclear. A recent systematic review of 15 studies of adolescents found that overall 65% of girls undergoing laparoscopic investigation were diagnosed with endometriosis.…
Key Points Lay SummaryLong-term Pregnancy Results after Surgical Removal of Endometrioma
Sun et al., from China, investigated the pregnancy outcomes and the related factors in patients with endometrioma and stage III-IV endometriosis along with a long-term follow-up postoperatively. Their study has recently been published in the journal named "Advances in Therapy".…
Key Points Lay SummaryRegulation of Inflammation in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent and multifaceted gynecological condition. Unfortunately, this disease frequently causes chronic and cyclic pelvic pain. Though there are several treatments are available, there is not an actual cure for this disease. Therefore, the development of new therapy…
Key Points Lay SummaryCycle-related gastrointestinal complaints in reproductive age young women
An analysis of 1-year data on 266 patients who presented to the Clinic and Polyclinic for Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine at Jena University Hospital to undergo surgery for endometriosis and its symptoms was performed by Nicolaous K. et al., a…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe relationship of serum concentrations of neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) and endometriosis
Although many serum biomarkers or biomarker panels for endometriosis are evaluated, none of them is exact enough to be used in daily laboratory practice. In a recent study, which has been published in Scandinavian Journal Of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Barberic…
Key Points Lay SummaryPrimary care physicians have a crucial role in the early diagnosis of endometriosis
Dr. Verket and associates from the University of Oslo, Norway, published their cross-sectional anonymous postal questionnaire study in "BMJ open". Diagnosing endometriosis is difficult because dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility are also common among other diseases. The most accurate and reliable diagnosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of Genetic Variations in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disorder. This disease affects approximately 7% to 10% of reproductive-aged women and causes negative impacts on society. The underlying causes are unclear; therefore, the understanding of this disease remains a major clinical challenge. Endometriosis has a…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould my Peritoneal Fluid Have a Negative Effect on my Partner’s Sperm?
The peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis could negatively affect the quality and functionality of sperm, according to a study by Spanish researchers. This could explain infertility linked to the male partners of women with endometriosis. The knowledge could also…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association between endometriosis and ectopic pregnancy
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a broad spectrum of symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain and fertility problems. It has been understood in the light of scientific evidence that endometriosis is also associated with other poor…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Endometriosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease show the same pathologic mechanism in terms of endothelial dysfunction. Tan et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada reviewed the literature aiming to determine whether women…
Key Points Lay SummaryA nonhormonal treatment of endometriosis: Dichloroacetate
In women with endometriosis, peritoneal mesothelial cells show higher glycolysis, lower mitochondrial respiration, decreased enzymatic activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase and increased production of lactate compared to women without the disease. Transforming growth factorβ1 and lactate are elevated in the peritoneal…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to design patient-centered interventions to meet the needs of endometriosis patients
The treatment of endometriosis is not perfect and necessitates the development of patient-oriented care initiatives. On this basis, patient-related transparent information should be the priority for researchers to find out a way for targeted interventions. Steele et al. from Australia and…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes the Severity of Endometriosis Increase the Risk of Complications Following Surgery?
The severity of endometriosis cannot predict the risk of complications after laparoscopy. Instead, the complexity of the surgical procedure itself may increase the risk of complications. This is according to a study published in the journal "Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica".…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgery and the endometriosis associated-pain: A systematic review
The surgical approach for pelvic pain-related to endometriosis depends on the stage and the type of the endometriotic lesion and ranging from ablation and the excision of the lesions to radical surgery as hysterectomy with removal of ovaries and presacral…
Key Points Lay SummaryMRI findings predicting the need for colorectal surgical treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis
LAY SUMMARY: Brusic A. et al., a group of researchers from Australia, conducted a retrospective study to identify the features of deep infiltrating endometriosis on MRI which have an association with colorectal surgical bowel resection. They have recently published their…
Key Points Lay SummaryQuality of Endometriosis Healthcare: What Do Patients Feel, What Do Doctors Say?
Patients and doctors seem to agree that clinical care for women with endometriosis needs improving. This is according to the results of a study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology. Endometriosis is a severe condition where chronic…
Key Points Lay SummaryRegret assessment in women under 35 years who underwent hysterectomy
Hysterectomy is the most common gynecological operation in women for the management of benign or malign indications. Leiomyomas, menorrhagia, endometriosis, and pain unresponsive to medical treatment can be accepted as the most common indications for hysterectomy. However, hysterectomy, as the…
Key Points Lay SummaryCloverleaf Sign: A new MRI sign for diagnosing DIE
Magnetic resonance imaging provides accurate information for the staging of deeply infiltrating endometriosis, especially when the patient is virgin, obese or has limited transvaginal examinations due to pelvic pain. In this recently published study in Investive Radiology, Harma et al.…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Best to Assess Productivity at Work Among Women with Endometriosis?
The health-related productivity questionnaire (HRPQ) is a valid tool to evaluate patient-reported productivity at work and at home among women with endometriosis found a study by U.S. researchers. This finding is important because it shows that HRPQ can be used…
Key Points Lay SummaryRecurrent endometriosis is a real challenge both for the patients and clinicians
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial stromal and glandular cells outside the uterine cavity. Current medical and surgical treatment options have several limitations including the side effects, costs, risk of recurrence, effects on conception capability. Recurrence is a…
Key Points Lay SummaryFactors affecting risk of ovarian endometriosis malignancy
Getting married when older, having had ovarian endometriosis for longer, giving birth in a shorter time, and other complications in the uterus that are benign may all increase the risk of ovarian endometriosis malignancy. This is according to a study…
Key Points Lay SummaryA rigorous literature review on endometriosis
Bulun SE. et al., from Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, conducted a rigorous literature review on endometriosis. This outstanding review by Dr. Bulun et al. addresses the definition, remarkable medical features, clinically useful research findings, prevalence and distribution,…
Key Points Lay SummaryTransvaginal Ultrasound of Endometriosis
A recent manuscript published by Collins et al. from the Department of Radiology at Penn State Hershey Medical Center aims to review the transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) evaluation of endometriosis and offer a protocol that is dedicated to the thorough evaluation…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis of the Appendix
Endometriosis of the gastrointestinal tract is infrequent, and it rarely involves the appendix. A group of researchers from the United States of America reported a case of a 50-year-old postmenopausal woman with endometriosis in the vermiform appendix presenting as acute…
Key Points Lay SummarySerum anti-Müllerian hormone levels for predicting spontaneous pregnancy after endometriosis surgery
Endometriosis is a disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. Although there are several medical and surgical therapeutic options, the most effective treatment modality has not yet been elucidated. The main…
Key Points Lay SummaryConsquences of endometriosis in menopausal period.
Marie-Scemama et al. from Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France, referred to endometriosis and menopause which is an actual cruising topic and recently published it in the journal named "Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation". Endometriosis a well-known estrogen-dependent disease has three…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs there any difference between endometriosis patients with or without obliterated cul-de-sac during laparoscopic hysterectomy?
Endometriosis is a disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. It is diagnosed in 10% to 15% of reproductive-aged women. Women with endometriosis demand therapy for the most common symptoms, which are…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new technique for laparoscopic management of ovarian endometriosis.
To cause a minimal hazardous effect on ovarian reserve during laparoscopic surgery of endometriomas is always a great concern for clinicians. Shaltout et al. from Cairo University, Egypt, examined the effect of "Surgicel" on preventing the recurrence of endometriomas and…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich surgical approach for bowel endometriosis?
A group of researchers from Spain, led by Dr. Alicia Hernández Gutiérrez, conducted a retrospective study to compare postoperative complications and recurrence of three surgical techniques: segmental bowel resection (group I), discoid excision (group II), and rectal nodule shaving (group…
Key Points Lay SummaryYogurt and ice cream consumption during adolescence may reduce endometriosis
Dietary factors may affect the development and severity of endometriosis because of estrogen, prostaglandin metabolism, inflammation, or smooth muscle contractility. Studies investigating the relationship between diet and endometriosis have focused on women’s dietary intake during adulthood. For example, the higher…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs there an association between endometriosis and sexual activity during menstruation ?
This recent case-control study with 185 women having endometriosis and 370 women as a control group was conducted in Tebriz University, Iran by Dr. Mollazadeh and associates. Contemporarily, retrograde menstruation is a valid theory for disseminating endometrial tissue to the…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Long Does it Take to Be Diagnosed with Endometriosis?
It takes a median of eight years to reach a diagnosis of endometriosis from when the symptoms of the condition first appear confirmed a new British study. Interestingly, it seems that the earlier the symptoms appear, the later the disease…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatients preferences for the treatment of endometriosis-associated pain
Endometriosis is defined as the location of endometrial stroma and glands outside the uterine cavity. The most common presenting complaints are mainly dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility, most of which relate to the menstrual period. Those women affected…
Key Points Lay SummaryClinical trial for the use of oral lactobacillus on endometriosis pain severity
The standard treatment of endometriosis consists of surgery and hormonal based treatment. There is evidence for the efficacy of these types of treatment, although their side effects remain a critical consideration for women. Based on molecular studies, changes in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe accuracy of "lower endoscopic ultrasound" for the preoperative diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis
Endometriosis affects reproductive-aged women most frequently with a prevalence of 5% to 15%. If the endometriotic lesions involve the bowel especially sigmoid colon and rectum, this subtype of endometriosis is named as "bowel" or "rectosigmoid" endometriosis. Rectosigmoid endometriosis is encountered in…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to Classify Endometriosis for a better and effective evaluation
Endometriosis affects 10% of women in their reproductive period and causes infertility around 40% of women who have the disease. Peritoneal fluid may be one of the factors to facilitate the spread of endometriosis to ovaries, peritoneum and other deep…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich Diagnosis Technique is Better?
Transvaginal ultrasound provides a more accurate localization of vaginal and recto-vaginal endometriosis compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. However, MRI has better accuracy in detecting bladder endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryHeme impairs macrophage phagocytosis
Heme is an iron-containing molecule that carries oxygen in the blood and also serves many essential biological proteins. It is released from ruptured erythrocytes during hemolysis. If not chelated, heme can cause harmful oxidative damage and inflammation. Thus, heme is…
Key Points Lay SummaryInfertility in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease mostly encountered in reproductive-aged women. The most common presenting complaints are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Despite extensive research, the etiopathogenic mechanism underlying the two has not been fully elucidated. Although human…
Key Points Lay SummaryMRI or TVS for accurate diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis?
Rectosigmoid endometriosis (RE) is seen in about 90% of patients with bowel endometriosis. Rectosigmoid is the region between the rectum and the sigmoid colon, which is a region easily accessed and assessed by two most common noninvasive imaging modalities –…
Key Points Lay SummaryChronic Fatigue Syndrome and Endometriosis: Comorbid Conditions
In the study of Dr. Boneva et al., from Atlanta, GA, the United States which has recently been published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics evaluated the impact of endometriosis on the health of women with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The authors compared…
Key Points Lay SummaryA study about adnexial torsion doubts in patients with endometriosis.
Endometrioma is the presence of endometriosis cysts in the ovary, and is one of the most common forms of endometriosis, with unknown pathophysiology. Adnexal torsion results in twisting ovarian tissues resulting in a decreased blood flow. The causes for adnexal torsion due…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe predictors for the coexistence of uterine leiomyomas and endometriosis
Uterine leiomyomas are the most common gynecological benign tumors affecting 20-25% of reproductive-aged women. Abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, pelvic pressure, and infertility are major symptoms of these tumors. Endometriosis is another gynecological disease encountered in 10-15% of reproductive-aged women. The…
Key Points Lay SummarySeven Hormonal Biomarkers for Diagnosing Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition characterized by implantation and invasive growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Although it is benign, endometriosis has cancer-like features, a mutation profile similar to that of ovarian cancer, and increased ovarian cancer risk.…
Key Points Lay SummaryBaby Years and the Risk of Endometriosis
Early-life factors such as whether a baby was breastfed, have had vaginal bleeding at birth, or whether or not their father was a smoker may be associated with her risk of developing endometriosis in later life. This is according to…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnother Genetic Polymorphism That May Increase Risk of Endo
A single letter change in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene may significantly increase the risk of endometriosis. This is according to a study conducted among women in Southwest China and published in the journal Medicine. Identifying genetic risk…
Key Points Lay SummarySearching new biomarkers for endometriosis
This recent article published in Advances in Clinical Chemistry, is an overall summary of characteristics, physiopathological theories, diagnostic approaches and variety of biomarkers to diagnose endometriosis and penned by Coutinho et al. from Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Belo Horizonte,…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon‑invasive biomarkers for endometriosis diagnosis
Endometriosis is a disease of women in reproductive age and its incidence varies between 5-10%. Since the diagnosis is based on the histological confirmation, there is an average of 7 to 11 years of delays in the diagnosis. Promising non-invasive…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntibiotic therapy for endometriosis
Current treatments for endometriosis are surgery and hormone therapy; however, these approaches may have significant side effects and do not prevent a recurrence. Therefore, alternative treatment modalities for endometriosis is needed. Recently, the idea that endometriosis may be influenced by…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe postoperative functional outcomes of deep infiltrating endometriosis
Rectosigmoid endometriosis is defined as the infiltration of the bowel wall with the endometrial-like glands and stroma, reaching at least the muscular layer. The most commonly involved sites are the rectum and sigmoid colon. For the management of deep infiltrating…
Key Points Lay SummaryBladder Endometriosis
Bladder endometriosis is rare – about 1-2% of women with endometriosis may have endometrial lesions in their urinary tract. Diagnosis of bladder endometriosis is difficult because of its nonspecific symptoms such as frequent urination, pelvic pain, and burning sensation when…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntimullerian Hormone, endometrioma and ovarian reserve
Younis et al. from Baruch-Padeh Medical Center, Poriya, Israel, designed a review study on ovarian reserve alterations before and after endometrioma surgery that recently documented in "Human Reproduction Update". The authors examined the electronic databases of articles published between January…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan early-life exposures affect endometriosis development later in life?
Endometriosis is a complex disease with possible multifactor contributors. So far, inflammatory, immunogenic, genetic, and environmental factors have all been associated with endometriosis. In addition, it is possible that different types of endometriosis lesions – peritoneal, ovarian, and deep infiltrating…
Key Points Lay SummaryChoosing the Right Technique for Deep Colorectal Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a benign gynecologic condition, histologically defined by the presence of ectopic endometrium outside the endometrial cavity. Three clinical presentations of endometriosis have been described and could coexist in the pelvis: peritoneal endometriosis, ovarian endometriosis, and deep infiltrating endometriosis.…
Key Points Lay SummaryOvarian stimulation regimes: Concerns on progression or recurrence of endometriosis
Somigliana et al., from the University of Milan, Italy, performed a literature review to predict the endometriosis-enhancing effect of ART regimes on infertile women and reported their results in Reproductive Biomedicine Online. Their points of interest were increasing dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, non-menstrual pain and…
Key Points Lay SummaryPreoperative factors to predict unresponsiveness in women undergoing endometriosis surgery
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. Despite extensive research, the optimal management of endometriosis still remains unclear. Several treatment options include analgesic medication, hormonal treatments, and surgical intervention. There is…
Key Points Lay SummaryBreast cancer incidence in women with endometriosis
The relationship between endometriosis and breast cancer remains unclear. Some studies have shown an increased risk of breast cancer among women with endometriosis, while others suggested no change in the risk of breast cancer. Previously, the authors have found that…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of Endometriosis-Related Adhesions on Quality of Life among Infertile Women
Endometriosis is considered the most common cause of pelvic adhesions in women. It is considered one of the main underlying causes of the development of adhesions. Adhesions are bands of connective tissue, which connect two different tissues that are normally…
Key Points Lay SummaryGal-3 can be a pharmacological target in endometriosis treatment
Galectins are known to play a significant role in angiogenesis, which is a key event contributing to the development of many disease conditions, one of which is endometriosis. Past studies, upon examining several human endometriotic lesions, showed that Galectin-3 (Gal-3)…
Key Points Lay SummaryFactors Affecting Women’s Choices to Enter Clinical Trials
Women were strongly influenced by their previous experiences and personal circumstances when deciding to take part in a clinical trial. This is based on the findings of a study published in the journal Pilot and Feasibility Studies that explored the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrioma, Fertility, and Assisted Reproduction
Endometriosis can negatively impact a woman’s health and quality of life. Surgery has been considered the primary treatment to overcome infertility in cases of ovarian endometrioma. Patients struggling with endometriosis often pursue assisted reproductive technologies (ART) due to fertility issues.…
Key Points Lay SummaryExtra-ovarian malignancies risk among women with endometriosis
For some time, an association between endometriosis and subsequent cancer risk have been reported. In particular, scientific evidence has shown that endometriosis is linked with risk of certain ovarian cancer subtypes known as clear cell and endometrioid. Since endometriosis is…
Key Points Lay SummaryAssistive Reproduction a Suitable Option for the Treatment of Endometriosis-Associated Infertility
Assistive reproductive techniques do not lead to a worsening in quality of life and only cause a slight worsening of pelvic pain, according to a study published in the scientific journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. This is the case…
Key Points Lay SummaryBowel endometriosis: What you need to know
When the endometrial tissue infiltrates the intestinal walls and reaches inside the intestines, this condition is called "bowel endometriosis". It is estimated that between 3.8% and 37% of women with endometriosis are affected by bowel endometriosis. The endometriosis lesions infiltrating…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan we prevent the progression of endometriosis?
Torres-Reveron et al. from the University of Texas, USA, planned this prospective laboratory research on female rats to assay the reduce on the progression of endometriosis and recently published the results in PloS One. At first, endometriosis was induced in female rats…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and female pelvic pain in all aspects
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity. The prevalence of the disease ranges between 6-10% in reproductive-aged women. However, endometriosis is more frequently encountered in women with chronic pelvic pain and…
Key Points Lay SummarySomatic mutations in iatrogenic endometriosis.
Lac and al., from the Department of Molecular Oncology in BC Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, Canada, planned a retrospective and multinational research to investigate the prevalence of somatic cancer-driver mutations in incisional endometriosis and recently published in the "Journal of Human Reproduction". Their…
Key Points Lay SummaryMistletoe as a Potential Candidate for Endometriosis Treatment
Endometriosis, one of the common benign gynecologic disorders, is defined as the ectopic presence of endometrial cells outside of the uterine cavity. Although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, the most accepted hypothesis is that endometrial cells pass through…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgical techniques for rectosigmoid endometriosis, and functional outcomes
Rectosigmoid endometriosis is defined as the infiltration of bowel wall with the endometrial-like glands and stroma, reaching at least the muscular layer. Rectosigmoid endometriosis is encountered in approximately 8-12% of patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis. The most commonly involved…
Key Points Lay SummaryConservative Surgery May Be Sufficient to Halt the Development of Deep Endometriosis
Deep endometriosis develops as a result of collective cell migration and nerve recruitment from surrounding organs, suggests a study published in the scientific journal Fertility and Sterility. Collective cell migration is the biological process whereby a group of cells moves…
Key Points Lay SummaryFactors related to delay in endometriosis diagnosis
Dr. Moniek van der Zanden, a gynecologist from Netherlands has recently made a nationwide survey on the impact of key recommendations of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) guidelines on endometriosis and aimed to assess factors influencing diagnostic delay of…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes the presence of endometriosis increase the risk of gynecologic malignancies?
Endometriosis shares common risk factors with endometrial carcinoma and ovarian carcinomas such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperestrogenism, and reproductive characteristics. Endometriosis is also known to be a risk factor for gynecologic malignant tumors. In this study, Li et.al. have…
Key Points Lay SummaryPelvic pain, congenital genital tract anomalies and endometriosis
Any failure during development and differentiation of female genital tract results in congenital tract anomalies. The origin of the hymen is the union of the caudal portion of the paramesonephric ducts and the urogenital sinus. It functions as a mechanical…
Key Points Lay SummaryFurther Results From the FEELING Study Published
Some women are more likely to develop deep infiltrating endometriosis according to the further analysis of the results of the FEELING study. These are women who: are married, are older, have siblings, have had a prior pregnancy, or for whom…
Key Points Lay SummaryImmune dysregulation in endometriosis
The connection between endometriosis and the immune system has long been proposed. However, to date, there is no real consensus on whether immune adaptations actually facilitate endometriotric lesion progression or they are a consequence of endometriosis re-occurrence. Thus, this article…
Key Points Lay SummaryAre women with histologically confirmed endometriosis satisfied with their medical support?
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. The most common symptoms are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, dyschesia, dysuria, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and infertility, all of which affect the quality of…
Key Points Lay SummaryNot True That Women With Endometriosis Can’t Conceive
The common assertion that women with endometriosis are unlikely to conceive is countered by a new study published in The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care. This finding supports the need for healthcare and information to address all…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe pain and its severity in deeply infiltrating endometriosis patients
Liang et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, China, recently published an interesting paper in the Journal of Pain Research, a prospective study to reveal the relationship between neurogenesis and other potential…
Key Points Lay SummaryAny adjustable risk factor for Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is believed to be estrogen and progesterone-dependent. Lifestyle factors such as alcohol/caffeine intake, smoking, and physical activity influence estrogen levels in the body and, therefore, may impact the development of endometriosis. In the study of Hemmert et al. which…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs Physical Exercise Effective in Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility are mostly encountered symptoms of endometriosis. Although there are several theories explaining the pathogenesis of endometriosis, the exact pathogenesis still has…
Key Points Lay SummaryFour cases of endometrioid borderline ovarian tumour: case reports and literature review
Physicians from Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan, report four cases of ovarian EBTs and a review literature in a recently published manuscript at British Medical Journal, case reports. Endometrioid borderline tumors (EBTs) of the ovary are uncommon…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes deep infiltrating endometriosis affect sexual activity?
Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological diseases in women of reproductive age, and pelvic pain and infertility are the most frequent complications. There are three different type of endometriosis lesions; superficial lesions, deep lesions, and ovarian cysts. In…
Key Points Lay SummaryThree dimensional sono-vaginography to diagnose rectovaginal endometriosis
Deep infiltrating endometriosis is defined as the localization of ectopic endometrial tissue penetrating more than 5 mm into the affected pelvic organs. Rectovaginal endometriosis is the most severe form of deep infiltrating endometriosis in which ectopic endometrial tissue infiltrating rectum…
Key Points Lay SummaryWill Getting Pregnant Make My Pain Go Away?
Pregnancy can relieve the symptoms of endometriosis, according to a new study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. However, for most women, the pain usually returns like in the case of hormonal therapy. This…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon-assisted reproductive technology treatment: Is it effective in infertile patients with advanced endometriosis?
The marriage and childbearing ages delay due to the life-style changes in developed countries. As a result, advanced age becomes a major concern in infertility treatments which consist of non-ART and ART modalities. Non-ART treatments include mild ovarian stimulation together…
Key Points Lay SummaryPROPOFOL: a new combat for endometriosis?
Feng et al, from the Department of Gynecology Weifang Medical University Hospital, Shandong, China, recently published their prospective experimental research in the journal Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. Propofol, a rapid and short-term anesthetic substance, recently has been shown to prevent cancer through inhibiting…
Key Points Lay SummaryWill I Have Complications After Endometriosis Surgery?
The rate of complications after surgery to treat deep infiltrating endometriosis is low, confirmed a study by researchers in Germany. It is important to know whether major or minor complications following surgery are likely to develop and what the outcome…
Key Points Lay SummaryCosmetics and some household products could be responsible for worsening endometriosis.
A controlled clinical study recently published in the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences, composed by Nazir et al. from the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. The study compared the blood diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) levels of fifty infertile women laparoscopically diagnosed…
Key Points Lay SummaryTransvaginal ultrasound for "rectosigmoid endometriosis" diagnosis: Is bowel preparation necessary?
Rectosigmoid endometriosis is a severe form of deep endometriosis. Women having rectosigmoid endometriosis present with pain and several intestinal complains such as constipation, diarrhea, intestinal cramping, abdominal bloating, feeling of incomplete evacuation, the passage of mucus and rectal bleeding during…
Key Points Lay SummaryReduced pain and increased fertiliy rates after surgery for colorectal endometriosis
This prospective cohort study which recently published in AOGS by Hudelist et al. from Oslo University, Norway is about their one hundred thirty-four laparoscopic operations of DIE cases performed between 2011 and 2016, in a tertiary center in Oslo. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryIVF Is the Best Option to Become Pregnant for Women with Severe Endometriosis, or Is It Not?
Treating rectal endometriosis with surgery seems to increase the chance of a woman conceiving, with most pregnancies occurring naturally. This is according to a study published in the medical journal Human Reproduction. The optimal treatment for women with severe endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to evaluate ureteral endometriosis : A review of the literature
In this recently published review of the literature, Barra et al. from Genova, Italy intend to provide a useful tool to guide physicians in the management of deep infiltrating endometriosis. Authors elected 67 abstracts from Pubmed and Medline in accordance with PRISMA…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis in adolescents
Dr. Mama S. T. from Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey, USA, recently has published his review on advances in the management of endometriosis in the adolescent in the journal “Current Opinion Obstetrics and Gynecology”. In adolescence, there is a…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Better Way to Diagnose Endometriosis?
Three proteins found in the blood and endometrial tissues could be used to determine the stage of endometriosis and the severity of painful periods according to a study published in the journal Current Medical Science. Evaluating the levels of these…
Key Points Lay SummaryShould I Have Surgery Before Trying to Conceive?
The presence of rectouterine nodules is associated with a lower chance of becoming pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a study published in the Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction. This finding is important as it can…
Key Points Lay SummaryQuestionnaire based evaluation of sexual life after laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis
Researchers from Denmark note that laparoscopic surgery is being increasingly used for the treatment of endometriosis due to its safety and effectiveness. However, treatment success is often evaluated through follow-up on the experience of pain, leaving other important aspects of…
Key Points Lay SummaryComplementary treatments for endometriosis symptoms: acupuncture, exercise, electrotherapy, or yoga?
Endometriosis is associated with debilitating symptoms in some women including dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria. There are a few therapeutic options to treat these symptoms; however, only a few studies have considered treating the pain symptoms…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe diagnostic value of “sliding sign” and direct visualization of the bowel in rectal/rectosigmoid deep endometriosis
Deep endometriosis is the presence of endometrial subperitoneal implants of ≥5 mm localized in the rectum/rectosigmoid bowel, uterosacral ligaments, rectovaginal septum, vagina and/or bladder. The most common diagnostic screening methods are the transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparing opioid and nonopioid therapy for chronic pain
Over the last few decades, North-America and Europe show continued increase in prescription rates of opioids. Evidence shows significant pain reduction with opioids in the short term compared to placebo, however whether opioids are superior to non-opioids even in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryFluorescence Guided Surgery: a New Technique to Treat Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
Fluorescence-guided surgery could help differentiate recto-vaginal deep infiltrating endometriosis nodules (RVDIEN) from healthy rectal tissue and remove them successfully without perforating the rectum, according to a study published in the scientific journal Surgical Innovation. The method could offer a better,…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdrenomedullin: The Pervasive Peptide
Dr. Aboulghar, from the Cairo University, recently penned an article titled “Role of adrenomedullin in reproduction and endometriosis” that was published in Fertility and Sterility. This article looks at the function of Adrenomedullin (AM) in pregnancy and endometriosis and it…
Key Points Lay SummaryHealth-related quality of life in women with Endometriosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is defined by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. Unfortunately, endometriosis continues to be a leading cause of chronic pelvic pain and long-term morbidity in women of reproductive age.…
Key Points Lay SummaryThoracic Endometriosis Syndrome (TES): Diagnosis by cytology of pleural effusion
Parikshaa Gupta and colleagues from Chandigarh, India report a case of thoracic endometriosis diagnosed primarily by pleural fluid cytology in a most recent article at Cytopathology. A 33-year-old female presented with a long history of recurrent bouts of chest pain…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Doctor's Guide to Making Endometriosis Less Scary
Canis, Bourdel, and Chauvet, doctors from CHU Estaing, recently published an article titled “Endometriosis: frightening the patients is not an acceptable alternative to inadequate surgical management and or pathophysiology ignorance” in Fertility and Sterility. Their paper delineated proper health practices…
Key Points Lay SummaryPain catastrophizing, perceived injustice, and pain intensity impair life satisfaction
Cognitive appraisals have been shown to have an effect on the experience of pain. Notably, perceived injustice and pain catastrophizing have been shown to play a role, but are rarely examined together. In addition, variability in appraisal processes has been…
Key Points Lay SummaryPersonalised Medicine for Endometriosis?
The lining of the uterus of women with endometriosis is different from that of women without the disease even if they have chronic pelvic pain found a study published in the scientific journal Biology of Reproduction. The difference is found…
Key Points Lay SummaryOral Contraceptives and Low-Cost Progestins to Reduce Endometriosis-Associated Pain
Most women with endometriosis-associated pain did not feel the need to use expensive progestin or undergo surgery. Instead, they were satisfied with a low-cost progestin to treat their symptoms. This is according to a study published in the journal Fertility…
Key Points Lay SummaryEffectiveness of the Endometriosis Symptom Diary
Seitz et al., a research group from Bayer AG and the University of Giessen, recently published an article titled “Patterns of missing data in the use of the endometriosis symptom diary” in BMC Women's Health. The authors were analyzing data…
Key Points Lay SummaryFallopian Tube Capability in Women with Pelvic Endometriosis and Adenomyosis
Xia et al. recently published a paper titled “Effects of pelvic endometriosis and adenomyosis on the ciliary beat frequency and muscular contractions in the human fallopian tube” in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. This research group primarily from Shanghai Jiaotong University…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe comparison of Chinese women in terms of risk factors, genetics and treatment of endometriosis
Endometriosis is characterized by endometrial implants outside of the uterine cavity. There is a wide spectrum of symptoms of this disease including dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, extragenital symptoms. The pathogenesis of endometriosis appears to be multifactorial, including ectopic endometrial…
Key Points Lay SummaryDifficulties Associated with Diagnosing Ascites and Encapsulating Peritonitis in Endometriosis
De Magalhães et al. recently published a paper titled “Ascites and Encapsulating Peritonitis in Endometriosis: a Systematic Review with a Case Report” in Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. The team from the Universidade Federal do Ceará and the Universidade…
Key Points Lay SummaryAbnormal Regulation of Pathways Seen in Endometriosis
Sikora et al., a team from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, published a study in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics titled “The role of complement components C1q, MBL and C1 inhibitor in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.” It has been said that complement system…
Key Points Lay SummaryStenoses in the colorectal anastomose sites after DIE surgery
Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is a particular form of endometriosis that penetrates at least 5 mm under the peritoneal surface. DIE is primarily located in the rectosigmoid junction and the rectum with an incidence of 70% and 90%, respectively. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Way to Better Diagnose Colorectal Endometriosis
Combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with computed tomography-based virtual colonoscopy (CTC) can make the assessment of colorectal endometriosis more accurate. This is important because it can help doctors plan the surgery better and inform their patients. In order to evaluate…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon-coding RNAs in endometriosis
The pathophysiological mechanisms causing the development of endometriosis, which is a heterogeneous disease remain enigmatic, and a lack of effective biomarkers necessitates surgical intervention for diagnosis. Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules, which are important regulators of cellular function, have been implicated…
Key Points Lay SummaryEmerging medical treatments for endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease whereby uterine tissue grows outside the walls of the uterus to the surfaces of other tissues in the body. It is a chronic disease and relies upon estrogen to grow and survive. Current medical therapies take…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould Endometriosis Be Caused by Bacteria?
A new concept called the bacterial contamination hypothesis in endometriosis has been proposed for the first time by researchers in Japan. This means that new potential therapies approaches could exist for this condition in addition to the conventional estrogen-suppressing therapies.…
Key Points Lay SummaryExosomal miR-214 from endometrial stromal cells inhibits endometriosis fibrosis.
Fibrosis is an important pathological feature of endometriosis. Novel therapies targeting the mechanisms of fibrosis in endometriosis are indispensable for the development of strategies to prevent and treat endometriosis. Previous microarray studies have detected some miRNAs that are aberrantly expressed…
Key Points Lay SummaryExtending the Female Fertility Clock
Varela, Sanchez-de-Puerta, and Garcia-Velasco are a group of scientists from various institutions in Spain and they recently published a review article titled “Fertility, IVF and reproductive genetics” in Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In this publication, the authors discussed…
Key Points Lay SummaryHOXA10: A Culprit in Endometriosis Disease Progression
Zheng et al., a group of authors from the Aerospace Center Hospital in Bejing and from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Wenzhou, recently published a paper in Reproductive Sciences entitled “Decreased Expression of HOXA10 May Activate the…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Does Endometriosis Affect the Sexual Satisfaction of Men?
Although the majority of men whose partner has endometriosis are satisfied or very satisfied with their sexual relationship, the proportion of men who are not sexually satisfied is higher among those whose partner has endometriosis compared to those whose partner…
Key Points Lay SummaryMost Effective Embryo Transfer Strategy
Bourdon et al., a group of scientists mainly from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, recently published a paper in PLOS ONE titled “The deferred embryo transfer strategy improves cumulative pregnancy rates in endometriosis-related infertility: A retrospective matched cohort study.” This study…
Key Points Lay SummaryReproductive delay and social egg freezing
The data collected from Office for National Statistics in England and Wales has suggested a major shift in the timing of motherhood. In the mid-1970s, the average age of motherhood was 26.4 years of age to, while in 2016, it…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis From an Epigenetic Lens
Samadieh et al. from the Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, recently published an article in Reproductive Sciences titled “Epigenetic Dynamics of HOXA10 Gene in Infertile Women With Endometriosis.” In this paper, the researchers wanted to observe HOXA10 gene expression in…
Key Points Lay SummaryTreatment of Endometriosis in Adolescents
Most women with endometriosis who have been treated with Lupron plus add back as adolescents felt the treatment was effective in reducing the pain caused by the condition, according to a study published in the Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent…
Key Points Lay SummaryUsing the "Mushroom Cap" sign to describe endometriotic masses
Endometriosis is a disease whereby ectopic endometrial cells attach and grow outside of the uterus. A number of imaging techniques have been used to evaluate and assess endometriotic lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a type of imaging modality used…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrial stem cells and Endometriosis
Human endometrium is a cyclically proliferative tissue, and this monthly regeneration is likely mediated by endometrial stem (or progenitor) cells.The upper functional layer of the endometrium breaks down and is shed into the uterine cavity during menstruation. Re-epithelialization and repair…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis can Adversely Affect Oocyte Quality
Kasapoglu et al. recently published a study in Gynecological Endocrinology titled “Detrimental effects of endometriosis on oocyte morphology in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles: a retrospective cohort study.” In this paper, they compared the oocytes recovered from women who have endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryAn Unusual Case "Free Floating Omental Endometrioma"
Capaccione et al. published an article in Radiology Case Reports titled “Massive endometrioma presenting with dyspnea and abdominal symptoms.” This publication is centered around a particularly unique case report of a woman who was ultimately diagnosed with endometriosis. The patient…
Key Points Lay SummaryRecurrence of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
There are mainly three types of endometriotic lesions. These are ovarian endometriosis, superficial peritoneal endometriosis, and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). The latter is often described as a lesion with greater than 5 mm invasion of the peritoneal surface. DIE lesions…
Key Points Lay SummaryA How-To Guide for Endometriosis Surgery
The European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE), ESHRE, and the World Endometriosis Society (WES) recently published a document titled “Recommendations for the surgical treatment of endometriosis—part 1: ovarian endometriomas.” This publication provides surgeons with recommendations for the technical aspects of…
Key Points Lay SummaryCollaboration Between the Surgical and Medical Experts of Endometriosis Needed
The authors of this perspective article aim to initiate a dialogue regarding the current evidence regarding the surgical and medical treatment of endometriosis. In their view, the quality of data regarding the outcomes of surgery for endometriosis is lacking and…
Key Points Lay SummaryEctopic Pregnancy Risk Factors
Jacob, Kalder, and Kostev recently published an article titled “Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in Germany: a retrospective study of 100,197 patients” in German Medical Science. The retrospective German study hoped to elucidate the risk factors for ectopic pregnancies. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Past, Present, and Future of Diagnosing Endometriosis
This review titled “Endometriosis: Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Clinical Management” published in Current Obstetrics and Gynecology Reports examines the distribution and factors associated with endometriosis. The analysis by Parasar, Ozcan, and Terry also delineates potential biomarkers and risk factors that could…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and its pro-fibrotic nature.
Endometriosis is currently defined as the presence of endometrial epithelial and stromal cells at ectopic sites. However, with advances in disease knowledge, several vital issues challenge this old definition. Especially, endometrial stromal and glands have been shown to represent only…
Key Points Lay SummaryBlood vessels formation in endometriosis
The endometrium undergoes dynamic changes during the menstrual cycle. Estrogen-driven angiogenesis is associated with the proliferative phase, and progesterone-driven vascular maturation occurs in the secretory phase. Hence, it is reasonable that the vascularization of endometriosis is also under complex regulation…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich Endometriosis Treatment is Better: NETA or Extended-cycle OC (Seasonique®)?
Scala et al. recently shared the findings of their patient preference prospective study in a journal article titled “Norethindrone acetate versus extended-cycle oral contraceptive (Seasonique®) in the treatment of endometriosis symptoms: A prospective open-label comparative study,” which was published in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryNovel lipid biomarkers may make early detection of endometriosis possible
Currently, specific clinical diagnostic indicators for the early detection of endometriosis have not been found with enough specificity and sensitivity for widespread use. Novel diagnostic biomarkers are needed that are both effective and non-invasive to detect endometriosis as early as…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis “Changes” the Brain
Endometriosis changes the electrical properties of the brain as well as gene expression, according to a study by Yale researchers. These changes increase sensitivity to pain, anxiety, and depression. “While medications can be used to treat endometriosis directly, the effects…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhen Endometriosis Becomes Malignant
Anglesio and Yong recently wrote a review titled “Endometriosis-associated Ovarian Cancers” that was published in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. This review explored the relationship between endometriosis and ovarian cancers. It is important to note that this review is a compilation of…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Impacts Many Aspects of a Woman’s Life
Endometriosis has a severe negative impact not only on the physical health of a woman but also on other aspects of her life including optimism and self-esteem. This is according to an Australian study published in the Journal Healthcare for…
Key Points Lay SummaryWomen with Endometriosis Should Not Worry About Ovarian Cancer
Kvaskoff, Horne and Missmer recently published an article in The Lancet titled “Informing women with endometriosis about ovarian cancer risk.” This article was written to address the growing concern surrounding the information that women suffering from endometriosis are at increased…
Key Points Lay SummaryIntestinal Endometriosis and Colorectal Cancer versus T4 Colorectal Cancer
Ishii et al. recently published a paper titled “Intestinal endometriosis combined with colorectal cancer: a case series” in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. This case report follows 7 Japanese women who have intestinal endometriosis and colorectal cancer. These women…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to Minimize the Costs Associated with Endometriosis Care
Paolo Vercellini, Maria Pina Frattaruolo and Laura Buggio, from Milan, Italy, recently published an editorial titled “Toward minimally disruptive management of symptomatic endometriosis: reducing low-value care and the burden of treatment” in Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of endometriosis on preterm birth risk
Some studies show that women with endometriosis develop significant complications during pregnancy that lead to preterm labor, and newborns of these women often need neonatal intensive care unit admissions. However, other studies argue that endometriosis have no significant effect on…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic Bowel Resection Can Be Beneficial Rectosigmoid Endometriosis
Riiskjær et al. recently published a paper titled “Pelvic Pain and Quality of Life Before and After Laparoscopic Bowel Resection for Rectosigmoid Endometriosis: A Prospective, Observational Study” in Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. This paper focuses on the effects…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Use of Resveratrol as an Adjuvant Treatment of Pain in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is considered a predominantly estrogen-dependent disease, and therefore hormonal suppression might be an attractive medical approach to treat this disease and its symptoms. Resveratrol is a natural phytoestrogen synthesized by plants and has known to have side effects such…
Key Points Lay SummaryBiomarker Networks Might Help Reveal the Mechanism Behind Endometriosis
Scientists have yet to uncover the molecular mechanisms that promote endometriosis disease progression. Xiao et al. recently published a study in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine where they hoped to shed new light on the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In their study…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Deregulated Molecular Functions Involved in Malignant Transformation of Endometriosis to Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Carcinoma
Endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC) is postulated to be transformed from endometriosis. Though different deregulated functional areas were proposed accounting for the pathogenesis of EAOC transformation, there is a lack of data-driven analysis to prove this. To understand the EAOC pathogenesis…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes asthma increase the risk of endometriosis?
Previous studies have shown an association between asthma and endometriosis but with inconsistency. It is still unclear whether women who have asthma are at a higher risk of endometriosis than women without asthma symptoms. Peng et al., conducted a large…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow good are the current guidelines on endometriosis?
The endometriosis was first described in 1860, yet the etiology and pathogenesis remain poorly understood. Treatment strategies vary significantly between disease severity and the symptoms of pain and/or subfertility. These challenges have resulted in multidirectional research, and the comparability of…
Key Points Lay SummaryChanges in Complement Proteins Affect Infertility in Women with Endometriosis
Palomino et al. recently published a paper titled “The endometria of women with endometriosis exhibit dysfunctional expression of complement regulatory proteins during the mid-secretory phase” in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology where they look at the expression of CRPs during the menstrual cycle of…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan Ovarian Stimulation Increase Endometrioma Volume?
Seyhan et al. recently published a paper titled “Do endometriomas grow during ovarian stimulation for assisted reproduction? A three-dimensional volume analysis before and after ovarian stimulation” in Reproductive BioMedicine Online. The authors initially believe that ovarian stimulation, often used in…
Key Points Lay SummaryBowel Function not Affected by Type of Surgery in Deep Rectal Endometriosis, Clinical Trial Shows
Conservative surgery for the management of deep rectal endometriosis does not seem to improve the function of the digestive and urinary system compared to more radical surgery according to a new study by French researchers published in the scientific journal Human…
Key Points Lay SummaryEctoenzymes as endometriosis biomarkers
The diagnosis of endometriosis is often delayed by 7 to 11 years because of the lack of a non-invasive diagnostic test. The ovarian endometriomas occur in about 17%-44% of women with endometriosis and cysts which contain endometrial tissue and fluid…
Key Points Lay SummaryEffects of osteopathic manipulative therapy in patients with colorectal endometriosis
Alternative treatments have been used for colorectal endometriosis, between them Chinese medicine, acupuncture and more recently osteopathic manipulative therapy. The osteopathic manipulative therapy has been shown to reduce the chronic pain working on muscular contractions due to vicious analgesic positions.…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Could Doctors Reduce Risk of Complications Following Rectal Endometriosis Surgery?
Introducing a temporary opening, known as a stoma, in the abdomen of patients that are operated for rectal endometriosis to collect waste products could reduce the risk of complications such as anastomotic leakage. This is according to a study by…
Key Points Lay SummaryStress affects endometriosis negatively
Stress contributes to many chronic health problems – endometriosis is one of them. Given that women with endometriosis are under more stress and pain, often with the added stress of infertility, it is important to understand the relationship between stress…
Key Points Lay SummaryEFA Medical Conference 2017: "Hormone and Cytokine Sensitivity in Endometriosis" Presentation by Dr. Robert Taylor
The first presenter of the “Estrogen from Inflammation to Cancer: A Distant Link?” section of EFA 2017 Medical Conference was Dr. Robert Taylor from Wake Forest University Health Sciences. Dr. Taylor’s presentation was titled “Hormone and Cytokine Sensitivity in Endometriosis.”…
Key Points Lay SummaryEFA Medical Conference 2017: "Breast Cancer in Young Women; Early Diagnosis Timely Intervention" Presentation by Dr. Stephanie Bernik
Dr. Stephanie Bernik is the Chief of Surgical Oncology of Surgery and General Surgery at the Lenox Hill Hospital. She recently presented at the EFA 2017 Medical Conference, and her presentation was titled “Breast Cancer in Young Women; Early Diagnosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryTreatment of minimal endometriosis in infertile women
For women with mild/minimal endometriosis, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) recommends the removal of endometriotic lesions to improve fertility and increase pregnancy rates. For women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment, there is ongoing debate whether surgical removal of…
Key Points Lay SummaryEFA Medical Conference 2017: "Prophylactic Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction" Presentation by Dr. Oren Lerman
Dr. Oren Lerman, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, described the reconstructive options of a woman who has been or is going to go through a mastectomy (removal of breast tissues) whether it…
Key Points Lay SummaryEFA Medical Conference 2017: "Endometriosis: hormonal or surgical? My reality!" Presentation by Dr. Harry Reich
Dr. Harry Reich, the Former Director of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at Columbia University Department of OBGYN, was the last speaker in the Mission and History part of the EFA 2017 Medical Conference. His presentation was titled “Endometriosis: hormonal or surgical?…
Key Points Lay SummaryReducing side effect of estrogen based therapy by using Tissue-Selective Estrogen Complex
The aberrant regulation of the ERα level in endometriosis and other estrogen-related diseases makes it a promising target for therapy. However, the standard beneficial roles of estrogen in specific target tissues, e.g., the bone, can be primarily affected by such…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Oxidative Stress
The etiology of endometriosis is still unclear. However, it is now widely accepted that oxidative stress, defined as an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants, may be implicated in the pathophysiology of endometriosis causing a general inflammatory response…
Key Points Lay SummaryEffects of acupuncture for the treatment of endometriosis-related pain
Acupuncture has been seen to offer chronic pain relief most likely due to multiple effects including analgesia and anti-inflammatory changes. Current therapy for endometriosis includes pharmacological and surgical methods. Symptom relief using other supplementary therapies such as acupuncture has been…
Key Points Lay SummaryA key cytokine in endometriosis can be targeted for endometriosis treatment
Immune system dysfunction has been implicated in the development of endometriosis. One study showed that 95% of cells found in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis are macrophages with impaired phagocytic function, which are unable to eat away unwanted…
Key Points Lay SummaryBiomarkers as a Diagnostic Tool
Ahn, Singh and Tayade discuss the difficulties and delay in diagnosing Endometriosis in their paper titled “Biomarkers in endometriosis: challenges and opportunities.” Thus far research has identified a multitude of potential biomarkers that are found in various parts of the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Role of Natural Killer Cells in the Development of Endometriosis Unravelled
Specialized immune cells called natural killer cells found in the peritoneal fluid of women with severe endometriosis may facilitate the development of the disease, according to a study published in the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. This finding could help…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Two-Wave Molecular Mechanism for Endometriosis Disease Progression
Kobayashi et al. recently published a review paper in Molecular Medicine Reports titled “Pathogenesis of endometriosis: The role of initial infection and subsequent sterile inflammation,” which discusses at length the role of non-specific bacterial infection and sterile inflammation in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis linked with increased risk of cancer and frequency of future surgical procedures
The purpose of this data research was to determine how women with endometriosis might be predisposed to other medical conditions later on in their lives. In order to determine if endometriosis affected health outcomes, a group of Scottish researchers collected…
Key Points Lay SummaryMitogen-Activated Protein Kinase p38 modulates Inflammation in Endometriosis
The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a serine/threonine kinase, which transduces signals within the cell in response to various environmental stimuli. In doing so, it mediates intracellular signaling of cytokine production, cell proliferation, and apoptosis amongst many other cellular…
Key Points Lay SummaryWith so many imaging tools and modalities, which one should be used for endometriosis?
Intestinal endometriosis affects 5 to 12% of women with endometriosis and commonly presents as dyschezia, rectal bleeding, cyclic defecation pain, constipation, and diarrhea. Currently, surgical treatment includes segmental rectal resection with colorectal anastomosis, but it is often riddled with complications.…
Key Points Lay SummaryCharacteristics and location of extrapelvic endometriosis
The authors of this study reviewed the medical records of 1000 women with endometriosis from two geographical areas, New Haven, US and Crete, Greece over a 20-year period with a goal of identifying the presence and location of extrapelvic endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Psychological Health: Butterflies from Deep Wounds
Endometriosis is a grueling disease in every sense of the word; however, most of the discussions center on the physical manifestations of the disease. Facchin et al. veer from the beaten path and examine the impact endometriosis have on a…
Key Points Lay SummaryUpdates in the Field of Endometriosis: Imaging
Hoyos, Johnson, and Puscheck wrote a chapter titled “Endometriosis and Imaging” that discusses the imagining technologies that can be used to diagnosis and examine individuals with the disease. This chapter evaluates three types of imagining, namely Ultrasound (US), Magnetic Resonance…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Systematic Review of Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Endometriosis
Guidelines are systematically developed statements derived from best research evidence to improve patient care through informed clinical practice. Appropriate guidelines can reduce unwarranted variations health practice and the implementation of better interventions. Endometriosis commonly has three different manifestations, including peritoneal…
Key Points Lay SummaryCystectomy More Likely to Cause Infertility than Laparoscopic Vaporization
Treating patients with endometriotic ovarian cysts using laparoscopic vaporization may be better than treating them with cystectomy, or the surgical removal of cysts, regarding fertility. This information is according to a study conducted by Japanese scientists and published in the Asian…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgical treatment of colonic endometriosis
In this study, the authors provide a brief report published in the journal "The American Surgeon" which retrospectively reviewed the therapy outcomes in eight consecutive patients who had a laparoscopic surgical intervention for deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) at Anne Arundel Medical Center. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Potential Molecular Mechanisms that Drive Endometriosis Progression
Endometriosis is a mysterious disease in that the exact mechanism that causes the illness is still at large. Yang et al. recently published a paper in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences that hopes to elucidate the molecular…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis : A Whole Body Disease
Endometriosis is a disease that impacts multiple parts of an individual’s body. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine recently published a paper by Alderman III et al. entitled “The Systemic Effects of Endometriosis” explores the various comorbidities that can affect individuals suffering…
Key Points Lay SummaryAbdominal Wall Endometriosis
Endometriosis can present itself in many places including within the pelvic organs, the more common manifestation, and outside of the pelvic organs, often referred to as extrapelvic endometriosis. One form of extrapelvic endometriosis is Abdominal Wall Endometriosis (AWE). Yela, Trigo,…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Involvement of the Blood Clotting System in Endometriosis
The blood clotting system might be over-active in women with endometriosis, found a study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences. Although the authors stated that there is not enough evidence to suggest that over-coagulation may be directly causing endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Most Cost Effective Medical Treatment to Prevent Recurrent Endometriosis
A new study conducted in China found that a class of drugs called Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) is more cost effective for the treatment of recurrent endometriosis despite the fact that they are more expensive than oral contraceptives. The results…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Productivity at Home and in the Workplace
Soliman et al. recently published an original paper in the Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy that discusses the impact that endometriosis symptoms have on an individual’s productivity level at home and work. This publication is titled “The Effect…
Key Points Lay SummaryHormonal Contraceptives and Endometriomas
Hormonal contraceptive has recently become a popular choice of birth control for many women. The European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology recently published an article entitled “Incidence of ovarian endometrioma among women with peritoneal endometriosis with and…
Key Points Lay SummaryInhibition of key neurotransmitter could reduce endometriosis-related pain
This study published in the scientific journalMolecular MedicineReports[link] by Lian et al. from Shanghai, China, aims to explore the relationship between transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and endometriosis-associated pain. Pain is the most common symptom for women with…
Key Points Lay SummaryICSI Outcomes for Laparoscopic Intervention of Endometriosis
Women with endometriosis can have trouble conceiving and often turn to fertility treatments for help. Guler et al. recently published a paper in Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine titled “The Impact of laparoscopic surgery of peritoneal endometriosis and endometrioma on…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow ERα is regulated in endometriosis?
Endometriosis pathogenesis is largely influenced by estrogen. Ectopic endometrium has altered expression of ERα compared to the eutopic endometrium. It is unclear what biological processes regulate such alteration. The article by Toderow et al. in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Unresolved Link Between Sexual Dysfunction and Endometriosis
Barbara et al. recently published a systematic review of literature in Reproductive Sciences titled “What Is Known and Unknown About the Association Between Endometriosis and Sexual Functioning” that delves into the effects that endometriosis has on female sexual dysfunction. Endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryT-Cell Dysfunction May Worsen Endometriosis
Researchers from the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan, have found that T regulatory lymphocytes (Treg) may be the reason for the formation of the chronic inflammatory environment involved in endometriosis, a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &…
Key Points Lay SummaryBody size, adult height and endometriosis
Endometriosis is associated with lean body size during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood; tall total adult height; and tall sitting height, found a study published in the scientific journal, Human Reproduction. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between body size across…
Key Points Lay SummaryA potential indicator of invasive endometriosis.
Furuya & Masuda et al., in their recent article that will be published in Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, report that the protein encoded by ZEB1 gene (Zinc finger E-box-Binding homeobox) is a potential indicator of invasive endometriosis. ZEB1 is a transcription factor that has been implicated…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould the cell surface protein "EWI-2" be the new diagnostic marker for endometriosis?
Further Understanding: Researchers from the Reproductive Medicine Center of Wuhan University sought to observe the differential expression of EWI-2, (a cell surface protein and an early activation marker, also known as IGSF8 - Immunoglobulin superfamily member 8) in 145 women…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis as a Barrier to Fertility
Some of the articles in the from the journal "Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (AOGS) issue are discussed in further detail below: Pain caused by endometriosis has been seen to significantly impact women's physical, psychosocial, and sexual health. Although endometriosis has been…
Key Points Lay SummaryTFF3 May Be Involved in Endometriosis Research Suggests
Levels of a protein called TFF3 are significantly increased in the peritoneal cavity (the abdominal space) of women with endometriosis, found a study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences. This increase was in line with levels of other known…
Lay SummaryEndometriosis Reduces Chance of Having a Baby Even with Assisted Reproduction, Study Shows
Endometriosis significantly decreases the likelihood of conceiving even with assisted reproductive technique such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), according to a study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. In…
Lay SummaryHow rats can help improve colon endometriosis treatment in humans
Colorectal endometriosis forms about 3–37% of all deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) cases. DIE is a highly invasive type of endometriosis, occurs when ovarian endometriomas overgrow and rupture, releasing their contents into the abdominal and pelvic cavity, resulting in the formation…
Key Points Lay SummaryWomen with Endometriosis Undergoing Surgery Often Require Further Treatment
Recurrence of endometriosis is common even in women who underwent surgery, a new study confirmed. This suggests that women with endometriosis should be closely followed up even after treatment with surgery. For the study published online in the Journal of…
Lay SummaryImmune substances in peritoneal fluid for endometriosis diagnosis and armamentarium
Cytokines are immune substances secreted by a broad range of cells within the body, including immune cells like the macrophages, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, mast cells, and non-immune cells such as the endothelial cells and fibroblasts. They are important in…
Key Points Lay SummaryComplexity of Urinary Tract Endometriosis: Highlights from a Review
Understanding the Clinical Complexity of Urinary Tract Endometriosis: Highlights from a Review While endometriosis predominantly affects the pelvic reproductive organs, spread to the urinary tract has also been observed and requires a different subset of surgical techniques for treatment. Accurate…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis doubles the risk of sexual dysfunction
Women with endometriosis are more than two times as likely to present sexual dysfunction as compared to women without the disease, according to a study published in Gynecologic Endocrinology. In this study conducted by researchers from the University of São…
Lay SummaryLaparoscopic Hysterectomy as Effective as Total Abdominal Hysterectomy, Study Suggests
Laparoscopic hysterectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure that is used to remove the uterus, results in similar rates of disease-free survival among women with stage 1 endometrial cancer as the standard abdominal hysterectomy, showed a study published in The Journal…
Lay SummaryEndometriosis Can Reduce Sleep Quality and Negatively Impact Patient’s Quality of Life Study Suggests
Most women with endometriosis of the posterior cul-de-sac, experience poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia, according to a study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. Poor sleep quality can reduce the quality…
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