Early diagnosis and appropriate care are the means to treat pain and infertility. The aim is to halt the progression and aggravation of the disease by destroying the endometriosis sites.
There are multiple steps in the diagnosis :
Identify endometriosis lesions at the vaginal level, utero-sacral ligaments, pre-rectal...
Identify possible endometriosis cysts sitting on the ovaries.
Suspect endometriosis sites in the abdominal cavity.
It forms the basis of the diagnosis. Endometriosis can be strongly suspected on the basis of a number of symptoms collected in the anamnesis.
It is an aid to diagnosis. It identifies lesions (including those not visible on vaginal ultrasound) in nearly 90% of cases.
This is the examination to be carried out in the case of suspected or proven damage to the rectum or sigmoid, when the indication for an operation has been retained. It allows to objectify lesions of the rectum and the sigmoid (up to 40 cm from the anus). It is a determining factor in predicting the risk of a transient pouch (stoma). However, a normal ultrasound and magnetic resonance scan does not exclude the presence of the disease.
The most reliable method of diagnosis is laparoscopy. It allows examination of the abdominal cavity using an endoscope (a camera) to observe the abdominal cavity and internal organs. It allows direct visualization of lesions. It is a procedure performed under general anesthesia. Small skin incisions are made: one in the navel and others in the lower abdomen. With the help of fine instruments, tissue samples can be carefully taken, which are then analyzed under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis. Laparoscopy makes it possible to make the diagnosis and perform the surgical treatment at the same time.
