Laparoscopic Evaluation of Chronic Pelvic Pain.

Abstract

Chronic pelvic pain is a common disorder seen in daily gynaecological practice. A retrospective study was carried out at Liaqat Medical College Hospital, Hyderabad from 1st June 1996 to 31st May 1997, to evaluate the causes of chronic pelvic pain suing laparoscopy. During this period a total of 3096 patient attended the outpatient gynaecological and obstetrical clinic, 556 patients presented with chronic pelvic pain. One hundred and fifty patients were evaluated by diagnostic laparoscopy. Adhesions of varying severity were found in 51(34%) patients, 15 patients (10%) had endometriosis, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease was found in 9(6.8%) patients. Seventy patients (46.66%) showed no abnormal findings. This study emphasizes the importance of laparoscopy in evaluating the cause of chronic pelvic pain. This procedure should be considered an essential investigation in the management of such patients so that repeated and unnecessary use of antibiotics and other drugs could be avoided.