The endometrium is the lining of the uterus, but when it begins to grow outside of the uterus, a condition called endometriosis occurs. Endometrial tissue can grow on your ovaries, pelvic tissues or the Fallopian tubes. This abnormal growth can cause scarring and cysts in the reproductive tract, resulting in significant pain and even difficulty getting pregnant.
One of the ways to treat endometriosis is to have surgery to remove the abnormal endometrial tissue, but women should be prepared for recovery after surgery.
Types of Endometriosis Surgery
A hysterectomy is the most radical of endometriosis surgeries, and it involves the removal of the uterus, and sometimes the ovaries and Fallopian tubes. Laparotomy is another significant surgery that involves making a large incision in the abdomen and removing the abnormal endometrial tissue. Laparoscopy is the least invasive of surgery types, using only a small incision and heat to remove the scarred endometrial tissue. Which surgery you have will depend on how severe your endometriosis is, and your expectations following surgery (i.e. whether or not you want to be able to have children).
Hospital Stay
How long you will have to stay in the hospital depends on the type of surgery that you had and how well you are healing. People who undergo laparoscopic endometriosis surgery have the shortest hospital stays, typically leaving the same day or the day after the surgery. If you've had a hysterectomy or laparotomy, expect to stay at least several days in the hospital.
Pain
Endometriosis itself is painful, so at least that pain will be relieved after the surgery. But, the incision and surgery will leave you sore. The more invasive your surgery (hysterectomy or laparotomy vs. laparoscopy) the more pain you will be in following surgery. Your doctor can prescribe pain medication to help ease pain and tenderness after endometriosis surgery.
Your Recovery
After any type of endometriosis surgery, you can expect to feel pain and tenderness. Pain in the shoulder, due to carbon dioxide gas pressure on the diaphragm, is common after laparoscopy. You may also feel very fatigued and nauseous. Recovery takes about two weeks following laparoscopy, but as long as two months for laparotomy.
Your Prognosis
Surgery won't cure your endometriosis, but it can help alleviate symptoms. You may have a recurrence of abnormal endometrial tissue growth following the surgery. But, people with less severe endometriosis may find that they are able to get pregnant following endometriosis surgery (as long as they have not had a hysterectomy).
