Prospective Study of the Outcomes of the Surgical Treatment of Deeply Infiltrating Endometriosis

• Endometriosis related pain symptoms before, and one year after the endometriosis surgery [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
  Endometriosis related pain symptoms (dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, pain with urination and defecation, chronic pelvic pain, pain with ovulation) assessed with visual analogue scales (VAS) and measured before, six months and one year after the surgery.
  
  
• The incidence of deeply infiltrating lesions among surgically treated endometriosis patients. [ Time Frame: 3 years ]
  The incidence of deeply infiltrating endometriosis among consecutive patients operated on suspected endometriosis between January 2005- December 2007
  
  
• Quality of life before, and one year after the endometriosis surgery [ Time Frame: one year ]
  Quality of life assessed with 15D Quality of Life questionnaire and EHP-5 Short Form Endometriosis Profile questionnaire before the operation and, one year after the surgery.
  
  
• Sexual functioning of endometriosis patients before, and one year after the surgery [ Time Frame: one year ]
  Sexual functioning measured with McCoy sexual functioning questionnaire before and one year after the surgery.
  
  
• Complication related to surgical treatment of deeply infiltrating endometriosis with one year postoperative follow-up [ Time Frame: one year ]
  Prospective monitoring of intraoperative complications, complications during the hospital stay, and mailed questionnaires six months, and one year after the endometriosis operation containing questions concerning complications related to surgery.
  
  

• Recurrence of endometriosis after surgical treatment [ Time Frame: six years ]
  Mailed questionnaires six months, one year, two years, four years, and six years after the surgical treatment of endometriosis containing questions about the recurrence of pain symptoms and about further endometriosis operations
  
  

Patients scheduled for operation on suspected endometriosis in two study hospitals specialized in the surgical treatment of endometriosis between January 2005 - December 2007 (Päijät-Häme Central Hospital) and January 2008 - December 2008 (Helsinki University Hospital) were enrolled to the study. The diagnosis of endometriosis was histologically verified for all patients. Background data was collected from patients` age, body mass index, previous deliveries, previous endometriosis surgery, and current hormonal treatment for endometriosis.

From the beginning of January 2006 patients also completed preoperative questionnaires considering visual analogue scales (VAS) for pain symptoms (dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, pain with urination and defecation, chronic pelvic pain, pain with ovulation), functional bowel and urinary symptoms, and 15D Quality of Life questionnaire, McCoy sexual functioning questionnaire, EHP-5 Short Form Endometriosis Profile questionnaire. Same questionnaires will also be completed six months, one year, two years, four years, and six years after the endometriosis operation. Follow-up questionnaires also contain questions concerning complications related to surgery, endometriosis recurrence, pregnancies, and infertility treatments.