Excision of Endometriosis is Crucial

By Antonio R. Gargiulo, MD
Dr. Gargiulo is a reproductive endocrinologist and reproductive surgeon at the Center for Infertility and Reproductive Surgery and the Boston Center for Endometriosis at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is the Medical Director of Robotic Surgery for Brigham Health and an Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School. He will be moderating a panel discussion called “Attacking Adenomyosis” at the 2020 Endometriosis Summit. He writes:
 
​Of all the patients I see for fertility treatment or gynecological surgery, patients with endometriosis are the most likely to come in with a very clear idea of what surgery they want. They have read the blogs, done their research, and often heard the opinions of several other doctors. They grill me about my specific surgical experience. Many have already had surgery in the past and face the prospect of an endo re-op. They want this surgery to be the last. Most of them are now demanding excision surgery – and I couldn’t be happier.
 
Since 2006, I have performed minimally invasive excision of endometriosis with the assistance of a surgical robot, using a miniaturized flexible CO2 laser as my only cutting device (Lumenis UltraPulse Duo CO2). The robotic surgical platform and the flexible CO2 laser each offer distinct advantages for preserving fertility during excision. The robot allows me to operate with 3DHD vision through small incisions with exceptional dexterity and the flexibility to articulate my instrument tips in every direction, which I cannot do with the instruments of standard laparoscopy. This means I can see, reach and excise endometriosis cells located throughout the abdomen. Because the robotic approach is easier to learn, compared to traditional laparoscopy, I’m hopeful that the technology will encourage more surgeons to offer true excision surgery for endometriosis as their primary approach.
 
The synergy between the enabling nature of the surgical robot and the precision of the flexible laser device defines my surgical technique. By using the CO2 laser as the primary cutting tool, I can excise disease without burning adjacent tissue. Both actions (excision and lack of collateral damage) are critically important for preserving fertility. I can work around the ovaries or fallopian tubes without destroying healthy cells. In contrast, older lasers and classic thermal ablation techniques can damage tissue beyond the intended target (endometriosis cells). Another option, classic laparoscopic scissors used without thermal energy, also avoids collateral damage. However, scissors cause more bleeding than the CO2 laser, and this in turn means increased difficulty in visualizing the pathology (and the possible need for secondary coagulation). 
 
Even after full excision by a capable surgeon using such advanced technology, there is no guarantee that a patient will not have a recurrence of pain and need additional surgery. However, excision is by far the best option available, with results above and beyond any other treatment. Medication to functionally antagonize one’s own estrogen (the hormone that “feeds” endometriosis), such as progestins, in my opinion, may help reduce pain and inflammation. It may be considered as an adjuvant to excision surgery in patients that can tolerate them. Specialized pelvic physical therapy is also considered a fundamental complementary treatment. 
 
Nevertheless, most surgeons still offer older surgeries like ablation, which causes more pain, endangers fertility, and virtually always leads to re-op. At the other end of spectrum, pharmaceutical commercials are trying to persuade women to avoid surgery altogether and just take expensive medication that, even when not stopped due to the nasty universal side effects, only offers a short-term remedy (it must be discontinued in a matter of months). 
 
Fortunately, any effort to steer women with endometriosis towards conventional ablation surgery, or towards a medication-alone approach, underestimates the awareness and shared experience peculiar of this patient population. People with endometriosis will keep researching and continue to demand the right surgery. It’s my hope that by doing so – in effect, holding doctors accountable to always offer the best surgical option – they will increase the ranks of surgeons trained in robotic CO2 laser excision.