Project 1
Developing and evaluating a screening tool to improve pre-operative prediction of absence of endometriosis in people with pelvic pain
Persistent Pelvic Pain (PPP) is a very common issue for women and people with a uterus and is often associated with Endometriosis. In many cases, in order to diagnose endometriosis a laparoscopy (or key-hole surgery) is needed. While ultrasound can usually pick up endometriosis cysts on ovaries (endometriomas) and larger areas of deep endometriosis, it cannot see superficial (surface) endometriosis which is the most common type. When laparoscopies are undertaken to look for endometriosis associated with PPP, approximately one third of patients will not have endometriosis. This means that up to one third of patients undergo surgery for conditions that could be treated non-surgically.
In order to give each patient a better idea about their chances of having endometriosis prior to having an operation, we plan to develop an “endometriosis calculator” (or prediction screening tool) This tool will incorporate our current knowledge of endometriosis along with patient symptoms and medical history. This will then be used to help patients decide if they want to go ahead with exploratory surgery or not. This may result in fewer patients having surgery and getting the appropriate treatment for their pain instead.
In this study we will be asking patients who are already planning to have a laparoscopy for investigation of their PPP to fill out a questionnaire
about their symptoms and medical history before their operation. We will then check if endometriosis was diagnosed and use this information to develop an improved questionnaire that can predict if endometriosis is likely to be diagnosed in a person with PPP.
Are you eligible to participate in this project?
If you are planning to have a laparoscopy (key- hole surgery) for pelvic pain to see whether or not you have endometriosis, you may be eligible.
What happens if I participate in this project?
You will be asked to answer an online questionnaire before your laparoscopy and the findings at your surgery will be recorded.
There will be no change to your treatment and there will be no extra visits required.
