Treatment strategy for postoperative persistent pain of endometriosis

Park, Sang Hyun; Oh, Sung Tack; Lee, Eun Suk; Park, Soo Young

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to establish the treatment strategy on postoperative persistent pain of endometriosis.
METHODS
During a 12-month period from March 2000 to February 2001, 62 patients had postoperative persistent pelvic pain. 62 patients of them were treated with GnRH analogue for 6 months. If they were not responsive to those treatment, It were recommended high dose progesterone treatment for 6 months after trigger point injection to differentiate from trigger point pain. and then for remained pain, Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were supplied for 6 months. Finally, contineously remained pelvic pain was treated by mistletoe extract.
RESULTS
62 patients had a postoperative persistent pelvic pain. GnRH analogue were supplied to 62 patients, and then 23 patients had persistent pain. These 23 patients undertook lidocaine injection on trigger point to differentiate from trigger point pain. Two patients were responsive to injection. Remained 21 patients were treated with high dose progesterone for 6 months. Thereafter unresponded 14 patients were supplied with NSAIDs and TCAs. Finally, remained 5 patients that were uncontrolled with previous treatments were injected with mistletoe extract. Three patients were controlled with mistletoe extract.
CONCLUSION
Most of persistent pain after laparoscopic operation of endometriosis were successfully controlled by sequential treatment of GnRH analogue, trigger point injection, high dose progesterone, NSAIDs and TCAs, and mistletoe extract injection.