Laparoscopy findings...

[Hollibob]

Hi.

Does anyone know of a good website that gives a better image/idea/indication where the endo was removed from during my latest laparoscopy? I can't seem to find one that will show all the different places and my post op consultation is another 4 weeks away...

Thanks x

[Impatient]

Endo can be absolutely anywhere so there won't be anyone who has the same combinations of locations that you do.

The most common locations are those closest to the fallopian tubes,

Around the tubes, the ovaries, down the the POD (pouch of douglas) the gap between the womb/vagina and the bowel at the back, and the equivalent space at the front of the womb between it and the bladder, then on colon, intestines, appendix, ureters, omentum

and less common the kidneys, liver spleen, gall bladder, stomach in the upper reaches of the tummy but still under the diaphragm,

Then rarer still the diaphragm, lungs, the spine, etc

Basically the further away from the uterus the rarer it is to find.

It can grown on organs, but it can also grow on connective tissues and ligaments holding the organs in place.

it can grown on and in muscle tissue too, also under and in the skin (especially at the site of surgical scars).

There is not a place in the body which has not had endo found there. There have even been 2 reported cases of it being found in the brain. It has also been found in the eyes and nasal cavities.

For the vast majority of cases it is found around the pelvic region and that is where the lap op surgeons will concentrate their efforts to tackle it.

Your GP may already have had a report back from the hospital indicating the places where endo was found and whether it was left alone as too trickey to remove, or whether it was lasered back or cut out.

So check what the GP has been told so far.

If nothing yet then try and be patient till you get your appointment and discuss it then..if the surgeon can remember.

Some do map the endo locations with a view to future surgeries, some just get on with removing any endo that is found and don't bother taking notes, it is practically impossible to map all the sites of endo in severe cases as it is everywhere.

Endo is often described as like a gun shot powder burn..splattered all over the place.

Thicker denser patches with hundreds of smaller specks in between.