Do you need laparoscopic excision of endometriosis after diagnostic laparoscopy?

Diagnostic laparoscopy allows a surgeon to inspect the pelvis for endometriosis, adhesions and other causes of pain or fertility difficulty. The surgeon may document the location and depth of lesions without removing them, particularly when disease is close to the bowel, bladder, ureters or major blood vessels.

Laparoscopic excision removes visible endometriosis lesions while aiming to preserve nearby healthy tissue. It may be considered for ongoing pain, disease affecting anatomy, or a fertility plan, but surgery is not always the next step. Hormonal treatment, monitoring, fertility treatment or specialist review may also be appropriate.

Request the operation note, images if available and any biopsy result. Ask whether endometriosis was seen, where it was located, whether anything was treated during the first operation and whether a specialist should review the findings. Balance expected benefits with recovery, scar tissue and the possibility of injury to nearby organs.

After laparoscopy, contact your surgical team for increasing abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, wound redness or discharge, difficulty passing urine, or heavy vaginal bleeding. Seek urgent help for fainting, severe breathlessness, sudden severe pain or a rapidly worsening condition.

Ask: What did the laparoscopy show? Was disease removed or only recorded? Where are the lesions? What could excision improve? Would medication or fertility treatment be reasonable? Who would perform surgery if bowel, bladder or ureter involvement is suspected?