The clinical significance of laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation (LUNA) in infertile women with pelvic pain and endometriosis.

Moon, Myoung Jin; Kim, Dae Kon; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Hong, Jun Sig; Kim, Yon Ju; Kim, Hye Ok; Yang, Kwang Moon; Choi, Kyu Hong; Yoo, Keun Jai

Randomized Controlled Trial

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2001;44(12):2224-2228.
Published online December 1, 2001.

The clinical significance of laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation (LUNA) in infertile women with pelvic pain and endometriosis.

Myoung Jin Moon, Dae Kon Kim, Kyung Ho Yoon, Jun Sig Hong, Yon Ju Kim, Hye Ok Kim, Kwang Moon Yang, Kyu Hong Choi, Keun Jai Yoo

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Cheil Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation (LUNA) in infertile women with chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis. METHOD: Prospective randomized study was performed in 20 infertile women with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain, who had undergone of laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation at Samsung Cheil hospital between April and September, 1998. Statistical analysis was perfomed using by DBSTAT (ver. 2.0). RESULT: The pelvic pain score of pre-operation was 3.72+/-1.07 (mean+/-SD) and it was significantly decreased to 1.83+/-0.85 at 1 month later and 1.93+/-0.92, 1.69+/-0.60, 1.56+/-0.62, 1.56+/-0.81 each in second, third, fourth and fifth month after operation. There was no correlation between pelvic pain and stage of endometriosis. Pregnancy rate was 65% after LUNA (twelve deliveries, one pregnancy is ongoing at IUP 24 weeks). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation would be effective for infertile women with endometriosis and pelvic pain.

Key Words: Endometriosis, Pelvic pain, Laparoscopic uterosacral nerve ablation