Treatment of endometriosis combined with infertility

  Evidence-based medical data suggest that laparoscopic surgery for mild to moderate endometriosis improves patient fertility. Although debridement of chocolate cysts does not improve the pregnancy rate of patients, it is generally accepted that laparoscopic surgery should be performed for chocolate cysts larger than 4 cm to reduce the risk of infection and improve egg retrieval conditions, followed by assisted conception treatment. However, performing IVF-ET in infertile patients has a higher success rate of pregnancy than repeated surgical procedures.  Reconstruction of the rectal trap of the uterus should be emphasized in infertile patients, as posterior trap closure significantly affects pregnancy rates. Once the lesion has been cleared and the adnexal adhesions separated, the anatomical relationship between the ovary and the ipsilateral fallopian tube should be carefully observed to correct any anatomical distortions caused by the adhesions, especially in those with fertility requirements. The fallopian tube tract often adheres to the ovarian cortex along the abdomen, and these adhesions usually cover a significant portion of the ovarian cortex and may interfere with the release of oocytes during ovulation. Not only that, but the fallopian tubes are often stacked together, limiting their ability to pick up eggs. When releasing adhesions to the fallopian tube umbilicus, the anatomy is clearer when the adhesions are released underwater than when the adhesions are released under the pneumoperitoneum alone. The lactated Ringer’s solution is first instilled into the pelvis to make the membrane-like adhesions of the tubal umbilicus float and disperse in the clear liquid, with the lighter umbilicus floating on top and separated from the normal tissue. When the tubal umbilicus floats from the folds at the end of the umbilicus, the adhesions are grasped with small forceps, and the adhesions can be released non-invasively using microscissors, usually without bleeding and without damaging the normal tissue. A methylene blue tubal lavage test is performed in infertile patients, and it has been suggested that a simultaneous uterine suspension can be performed in posterior uterus.  If the patient is still unable to get pregnant after treatment for endometriosis, or if she has difficulty getting pregnant at an older age, pregnancy should be facilitated by timely use of pregnancy assistance techniques such as intrauterine insemination and IVF-ET.