laparoscopic surgery

[Ree_kap]

Hello ladies I’m hoping somebody can help me. I recently had a laparoscopy to see whether I have endometriosis. It turns out that the doctors did not find anything wrong with me. This is very heart breaking since I have been suffering with symptoms of endometriosis since for a very long time. I’ve been on the waiting list for this surgery since Covid and finally I was was hoping to get some answers and they’re telling me they’re found nothing. However from looking at my stitches, it seems that the only made one incision on my left side they did not look at my right side,, does anybody know if this is normal if they can look at the right side by only making one incision on the left side?

I’m worried that they did not carry out my surgery properly or take a proper look. I’m wondering whether I should get a second opinion go private and not through nhs? I believe I do actually have endometriosis. I thank you in advance for anybody that would answer this and help me.

[Lindle]

Do you not have an incision in the belly button too?

[Ree_kap in reply to Lindle]

I do. I have one on my belly button and one on my left side. From research it shows I should have had one on my right side too.

[puzzleprincess in reply to Ree_kap]

Hi, I recently had a laparoscopy that confirmed endometriosis and only have 2 incisions - one in the belly button and one on my lower right side where they took a biopsy from.

I don’t think your incision sites are indicative of whether they looked properly or not. From my understanding the incision site in your belly button is where they put the actual laparoscope (camera) where they can look around the whole bowel/pelvis. So they should have been able to get a good look.

Did your surgeon have a special interest in endo? And do you have a treatment plan going forward? I can imagine this has been really frustrating but if you have images of your surgery it might be worth getting a second opinion if you had a regular gynaecologist x

[Lindle in reply to Ree_kap]

Have replied below on the general thread.

[AvaMax]

Hi there,

I’m so sorry you don’t have the answers you needed.

I don’t know the wrongs and rights but I have had two laparoscopy’s. The first one was in my belly button and to one side, the second one was in my belly button and lower down. Neither time did they go both sides.

Did they help with what the pain could be instead? A plan going forward?

[Kirca20]

I had laparoscopy to remove endometriosis lessions after an MRI scan in Romania , Bucharest and I have 5 holes. 2 on right side ,2 on left side and one in belly button.

[Lindle in reply to Kirca20]

You clearly had treatment which is totally different from a diagnostic lap. I really don't think it is helpful to tell women on a UK site that UK doctors are useless and incompetent when we have some of the most highly skilled excision surgeons.

[Kirca20 in reply to Lindle]

Hi.all this high skilled excision surgeon doesn't solve all the women's problems .in UK there are so many cases that are unsolved even after excision /laparoscopy .

[Lindle in reply to Kirca20]

Excision doesn't cure endo no matter who does it and what country they live in. Some will be free of pain and others won't. The UK is world leading in setting up tertiary endo centres and this site supports them - have you had a botched surgery by all of them to qualify you to make these comments as fact? On other sites you may wish to give UK women an impression that there is no one in the UK who is qualified to treat them, which can only be damaging and very distressing, but I guess admin on here will decide if it is appropriate or helpful.

[Angellouise]

My daughter is going through the same thing , she is waiting to see an endometriosis specialist as I have learned regular gynaecologist could miss endometriosis. She had lap done and there was an incision on both sides. Don’t give up if you are in pain.

[Lindle]

It's not about the number of ports. It is generally standard to have two working ports but one secondary port is sufficient to carry out a thorough lap (ESHRE 2013). One port on one side doesn't just look on that side as the pelvis/abdomen isn't divided. A secondary port is necessary to be able to lift structures to look under/behind them.

It is about the skill of the surgeon. It is required that surgeons dealing with endo (so this must necessarily mean diagnosing it) have a special interest in the disease which means additional training above general gynaecology. You should always have a consultation with the surgeon before a lap to ask relevant questions, so how many ports might be one of them. Also will they check all the areas they are required to, and if they find endo do they intent to treat it and if so how, and they would only being able to treat superficial disease.

Some women are having laps without even seeing the surgeon in order to check they have the appropriate level of training - a brief conversation on the day prior to surgery isn't sufficient. It is up to the clinical lead in the hospital to ensure that surgeries are done by those with appropriate training but some are seemingly just put on a general gynaecology list and allocated any general gynaecologist. I don't know if you had a consultation prior to surgery.

The best way of getting an idea of how thorough the lap was is from the report. You should have a discharge note with a summary of where they looked but this isn't always the case - it will often be reported by a non-qualified surgeon very briefly along the lines of 'no endometriosis found' which is as good as useless. Also a thorough diagnostic lap should take at least 30 minutes (90 or so if any superficial endo is treated) so it might be useful to reflect on how long you were in theatre.

Going forward I'd apply for a subject access request and get a copy of the actual lap report to see how thoroughly your pelvis and abdomen were checked. Feel free to message for help with this.

(Someone had referred you to a group on FB which is very unreliable. Many women have had very bad experiences with some of the surgeons recommended on there and most of our excellent surgeons aren't on their list. It isn't permitted to give names of groups on here so admin should take it down but just be aware).

[TheStruggleIsReal29]

Hi I’m sorry they didn’t find any answers for your pain I know how much this sucks, I had my diagnostic lap 8 weeks ago by a regular gynaecologist after I was supposed to be having it done by and Endo specialist, I did have incisions on both sides and belly button, was told they didn’t find no Endo and everything else looks ok, my bowel had scar tissue and adhesions sticking it to my uterus same with my Bladder and abdominal wall, they freed it all and cut it all away, but said no Endo found had biopsys taken in those areas they cut away for testing which I am still awaiting for the results 8 weeks later, no discharge notes or advice, didn’t know what was going on, still have all the same symptoms/pain leading up to period with no answers why it’s happening! I suggest requesting your medical file with everything in from your doctors. I am doing this so I can see what’s going on or what they looked at etc, that way if anything pops up to you ask for a second opinion nhs(Endo specialist) or private if you can. Hoping you are able to get some answers soon x

[Kaz_67 in reply to TheStruggleIsReal29]

Hi, if your still in pain after they removed adhesions it could be because they have come back. They could have caused more adhesions by just going in again.I've had adhesions for over 22yrs now. I've had over 10 operations cause my bowel/ bladder was trapped or my gallbladder removed, that took 2 surgeon's over 4hrs to do. I've now been told they will only operate now if it's a life or death situation. I've also got.other medical conditions caused by the adhesions, diverticulitis is one of them. No pain should ever be ignored keep at your consultant/Dr's etc. You know your body n when somethings not right. Never be afraid to ask for a second opinion!! Adhesions have ruined my life, I'm now disabled because of them. SORRY if I've been on my soapbox but adhesions can n do cause a serious amount of pain! Hugs Kaz x

[Ree_kap]

Thank you for all of the replies. It’s reassuring to know that I didn’t need 2 incisions. Hope everyone gets their answers. I’ll keep fighting until I have an answer for my pain