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Endometriosis Surgery

Endometriosis surgery can help women get pregnant

Endometriosis is a condition where uterine lining, which is normally present only inside the uterine cavity, grows outside of the uterus. Normally, at the end of a menstrual cycle, a woman sheds her uterine lining. The lining cells travel through the cervix, and into the vagina. Some lining cells also travel backward, however, passing through the fallopian tubes and into the abdomen. Once there, they can attach to the ovaries, the lining of the pelvis, or other abdominal organs, and then begin to grow. As they grow, they cycle – similarly to how they would function inside the uterus – which means that they can occasionally bleed, resulting in the development of inflammation, cysts, or adhesions (scar tissue) in and around the pelvis. This can cause pain and/or infertility.

Although endometriosis is typically a progressive disease, there are effective treatments that can both help with pelvic pain and improve a woman’s chances for getting pregnant. One such treatment offered by our fertility doctors in San Antonio, Dr. Erika Munch and Dr. Susan Hudson, is endometriosis surgery.

Endometriosis surgery is recommended for women who are trying to conceive

Medications such as birth control and hormonal therapies to suppress the body’s production of estrogen are sometimes used to treat endometriosis; however, these therapies also prevent pregnancy. As a result, Drs. Munch and Hudson, our board certified fertility doctors in San Antonio, will often recommend endometriosis surgery for a woman who is trying to conceive.

Endometriosis can be diagnosed through laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopy is the most common type of endometriosis surgery. This minimally invasive surgery is used to diagnose and treat endometriosis. The surgery involves making 2-3 tiny incisions in the navel and just below the top of the pubic hair line. Laparoscopy allows Drs. Munch and Hudson to inspect the pelvic region, including the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries, for signs of endometriosis by inserting a small operating telescope called a laparoscope through the navel into the abdomen.

Endometriosis can also be treated using laparoscopy

If Dr. Munch or Dr. Hudson find signs of endometriosis, they will use surgical instruments inserted through the other incisions to remove or destroy the endometriosis lesions. They can also remove any scar tissue caused by the endometriosis at the same time. Our San Antonio fertility doctors are skilled reproductive surgeon who can successfully treat endometriosis with lasers, surgical cautery, or other energy sources.

Recovery from endometriosis surgery is minimal and the risk of complications is low

Dr. Munch and Dr. Hudson usually perform endometriosis surgery on an outpatient basis. Patients return home on the day of surgery and most are able to resume their regular activities (including returning to work) within a couple of days.

Endometriosis surgery is the first step towards pregnancy for many patients

During surgery, Drs. Munch and Hudson will rate a patient’s endometriosis on a scale ranging from minimal to severe. Patients rated as having minimal endometriosis may be able to get pregnant naturally after surgery. However, patients who have moderate or severe endometriosis may require some assistance from fertility treatments. Minimally invasive endometriosis surgery will improve the fertility prognosis for almost any woman suffering from endometriosis, enabling most of them to successfully experience the joys of motherhood.

Read more about endometriosis here, http://www.fertilitysanantonio.com/female-infertility/endometriosis/. You may also contact Dr. Munch or Dr. Hudson, caring and compassionate fertility doctors in San Antonio, for a full assessment.