Treatment of endometriosis. Evaluation of preoperative therapy with danazol, gestrinone and buserelin (nasal spray and implant)

In order to adequately assess the effectiveness of danazol, gestrinone, buserelin-nasal spray (IN) and buserelin-implant (SC), a prospective non randomized study was initiated in 178 patients with laparoscopically confirmed ovarian endometriosis. After hormonal therapy, laparotomy with microsurgical resection of endometriotic cysts or laparoscopy laser was carried out. Regression (greater than 25%) of ovarian endometriosis was noted in 30, 34, 73 and 91% of cases after danazol, gestrinone and buserelin IN and buserelin SC respectively. Histological study proves that hormonal treatment leads to an incomplete suppression of ovarian endometriotic implants and this suggests the necessity to remove surgically invasive ovarian endometriosis. The pregnancy rate in moderate endometriosis (55%) differed significantly from the rate obtained in severe endometriosis (44%). The highest percentages were found after buserelin therapy. In conclusion, preoperative use of a potent GnRH agonist, administered subcutaneously, seems to be the best therapeutic approach when associated to surgery (CO2 laser or microsurgery)

Ovarian endometrial cysts: the role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and/or drainage.

Objective: To evaluate the role of GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) and/or drainage in the management of large endometriomas. DESIGN: This prospective clinical study was conducted in a parallel and randomized design. SETTING: Department of Gynecology, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, Brussels, Belgium. PATIENTS: Eight infertile women with laparoscopically confirmed ovarian endometriotic cysts. After laparoscopic drainage of the ovarian cyst, patients were randomized. Patients in group I (n = 40) received no therapy. Patients in group II (n = 40) received GnRH-a therapy for 12 weeks. A second-look laparoscopy was performed after 12 weeks in each woman. RESULTS: After drainage, a quick recurrence of the endometrial cyst was observed in only group I. Indeed, the score and the cyst size were similar to the values observed before the first laparoscopy. In group II, a significant decrease in score and cyst diameter was observed. Ovarian biopsies revealed significant reduction in the stromal vascularization and a significant reduction in the mitotic activity in the group of women treated with GnRH-a. CONCLUSION: The quick recurrence of the ovarian cyst after drainage proved that drainage alone is ineffective. Drainage followed by GnRH-a was effective in the reduction of cyst size and the glandular mitotic activity

The role of GnRH agonists in the endoscopic treatment of endometriosis and fibromyomas.

Uterine myomas and endometriosis are benign pathologies frequently encountered in women. Myomas are often associated with infertility and/or menorrhagia particularly if they are sub-mucosal. Endometriosis is diagnosed in more than 35% of infertile patients. These two common pathologies are oestrogen-dependent and the administration of a GnRH agonist has been proposed as a non-surgical approach to the treatment of myomas and endometriosis. GnRH agonists cannot, however, be considered as definitive medical therapy because most myomas and endometriotic cysts return to their initial size within 4 months following the cessation of treatment. Moreover, because of the menopausal-like state that they induce, GnRH agonists provoke bone demineralization and for this reason, their long-term use is not recommended. These agents should, therefore, be considered as an adjuvant preoperative therapy. The aim is, above all, to achieve a preoperative reduction of tumour size, thus facilitating the endoscopic surgery: either hysteroscopic resection in the case of sub-mucosal myomas, or vaporization of ovarian cysts in the case of cystic endometriotic lesions