Movie: Laparoscopic excision of endometrioma
A large proprotion of patients with endometriosis are found to have an unilateral or bilateral endometriomas, that is ovarian cyst(s) due to endometriosis. Diagnosis is usually made by pelvic ultrasound scanning, and indeed this can be the first clue to the diagnosis. Endometriotic cysts may shrink with hormonal treatment with drugs such as GnRH analogues, but they will regrow as soon as treatment is stopped. Surgery offers the only cure, and in most cases laparoscopic excision can be carried out without the need for laparotomy, treatment which is usually combined with laparoscopic ablation or excision of other deposits of endometriosis.