Endometriosis in diagnostic laparoscopy

ABSTRACT

To test the wisely accepted but no well supported impression that endometriosis is much more common in the Caucasian than in Asian women. We assessed prospectively the prevalence of endometriosis in 200 consecutive diagnostic laparoscopies in our department. Twenty-five [12.5%] cases of endometriosis were found. Of these 200 cases 160 cases [70%] underwent laparoscopy for infertility. In 17 [68%] out of 25 patients with endometriosis infertility was the indication for laparoscopy. In the remainder of the patients laparoscopy was performed because of other indications. Half of the patients with endometriosis showed moderate and severe degrees of endometriosis. Two third of the patients were below the age of 29. According to these findings, the presumption that endometriosis is uncommon in Asian women is considered to be erroneous