Photocoagulation of early pelvic endometriosis with the Nd: YAG laser through the laparoscope.

Our prospective study evaluated the efficacy of the Nd:YAG laser (MMB-AT MediLas 2) for early-stage clinical endometriosis. Patients with suspected endometriosis underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, and if mild or moderate pelvic endometriosis was discovered, the lesions were treated with the Nd:YAG laser at a power setting of 20 w with intermittent, one- to three-second exposures. All the patients are being treated postoperatively with danazol (800 mg/day) for three to nine months. At this writing, 14 of 24 patients selected for laparoscopy were eligible for treatment with the Nd:YAG laser. Six weeks after treatment all the patients reported relief of their initial symptoms. To date, two patients have had repeat laparoscopy after Nd:YAG photocoagulation of mild endometriotic lesions. Neither patient had evidence of disease at the second laparoscopy.