Laser vaporization of ovarian endometriomas: the impact on the response to gonadotrophin stimulation

Objective: To evaluate the ovarian response to stimulation for IVF in endometriosis patients who have previously undergone laparoscopic treatment of peritoneal and/or ovarian endometriosis (CO2 laser vaporization).

Methods: Retrospective study of 455 patients undergoing IVF. The study group, made up of 127 endometriosis patients, was divided into 2 subgroups: Ia: 42 women with peritoneal endometriosis, treated by laparoscopy, who underwent 71 IVF cycles; Ib: 85 women with ovarian endometriomas, treated by vaporization of the internal wall, who underwent 187 IVF cycles. The control group, consisting of 328 women, was also divided into 2 subgroups: IIa: 193 women suffering from tubal infertility who underwent 422 IVF cycles; IIb: 135 women with idiopathic infertility who underwent 275 IVF cycles.

Results: The ovarian stimulation parameters (number of gonadotrophin ampoules, number of follicles and mature oocytes, maximum estradiol concentrations) were not significantly different in the various subgroups. The number of embryos obtained and transferred per cycle, the fertilization rates (group Ia: 61.81%; Ib: 60.90%; IIa: 62.48%; IIb: 57.99%), the implantation rates (group Ia: 17.72%; Ib: 15%; IIa: 13.94%; IIb: 18.05%) and the clinical pregnancy rates (group Ia: 32.39%; Ib: 37.40%; IIa: 27.49%; IIb: 30.18%) were not statistically different in the studied subgroups.

Conclusions: The theoretical risk of loss of ovarian cortex when treating endometriotic cysts can be eliminated by the technique of vaporization of the internal wall of the endometrioma.IVF outcomes are similar in patients treated for endometriosis and those presenting with unexplained or tubal infertility.