Recurrence rate of endometrioma after laparoscopic cystectomy: a comparative randomized trial between post-operative hormonal suppression treatment or dietary therapy vs. placebo.

Objective(s): To assess the recurrence rate of endometrioma after laparoscopic cystectomy plus hormonal suppression treatment or plus dietary therapy compared to post-operative placebo.

Study Design: A randomized comparative trial was conducted on 259 consecutive women who underwent laparoscopic unilateral/bilateral cystectomy for endometrioma. Seven days after surgery, the patients were randomly allocated on the basis of a computer-generated randomization sequence, to one of four post-operative management arms as follows: placebo (n=65) or gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (tryptorelin or leuprorelin, 3.75 mg every 28 days) (n=65) or continuous low-dose monophasic oral contraceptives (ethynilestradiol, 0.03 mg plus gestoden, 0.75 mg) (n=64) or dietary therapy (vitamins, minerals salts, lactic ferments, fish oil) (n=65) for 6 months. At 18 months' follow-up after surgery, all patients were monitored with a clinical gynecologic examination, and a transvaginal ultrasonography for possible evidence of endometrioma recurrence.

Result(s): At 18 months' transvaginal ultrasonographic follow-up after surgery, no significant recurrence rate of endometrioma was detected in women who received a postoperative course of hormonal suppression treatment or dietary therapy when compared with placebo (placebo vs. GnRH-a P=0.316, placebo vs. estroprogestin P=0.803, placebo vs. dietary therapy P=0.544). Second-look laparoscopy was performed on a clinical basis and confirmed the ultrasonographic suspicion of recurrence of endometrioma in all cases: 10 (16.6%) in the post-operative placebo group vs. 6 (10.3%) in the post-operative GnRH-a group vs. 9 (15.0%) in the post-operative continuous estroprogestin group vs. 11 (17.8%) in the post-operative dietary therapy group. Of 36 patients with recurrent ovarian endometriosis, 8 had recurrence on the treated ovary, 20 on the contralateral ovary that appeared to be normal at the time of the first-line surgery, and 8 on both the treated and untreated ovaries. Endometrioma recurrences were associated with moderate-to-severe painful symptoms in 14/36 patients (38.8%), while the remaining 22 (61.1%) patients were asymptomatic.

Conclusion(s): A 6-month course of hormonal suppression treatment or dietary therapy after laparoscopic cystectomy had no significant effect on the recurrence rate of ovarian endometriosis when compared with surgery plus placebo. So, treatment of endometrioma can be carried out exclusively by laparoscopic cystectomy without post-operative therapy, if a complete excision of ovarian endometriosis has been assured.