Comparing the treatment of endometriosis-related pain by excision of endometriosis or hysterectomy: A multicentre prospective cohort study

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of endometriosis excision alone to excision plus hysterectomy, with and without bilateral oophorectomy, for endometriosis-related symptoms. Design: Multicentre prospective cohort. Setting: Eighty-six specialist endometriosis centres. Population: Women undergoing rectovaginal endometriosis surgery between 2009 and 2021. Methods: We performed multivariable regression with random effects for patient and centre, controlling for age, BMI, smoking, laparoscopic versus open approach and type of bowel surgery performed, with sensitivity analysis for loss to follow-up. Main Outcome Measures: Pain scores, bowel symptoms and quality-of-life measures. Results: Compared to endometriosis excision alone, women undergoing hysterectomy with conservation of ovaries had greater improvement in non-cyclical pain (MD: 1.41/10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.78, p < 0.001), dyspareunia (MD: 1.12/10, 95% CI: 0.71-1.53, p < 0.001), back pain (MD: 1.29/10, 95% CI: 0.92-1.67, p < 0.001) and quality-of-life scores (MD: 8.77/100, 95% CI: 5.79-11.75, p < 0.001) at 24 months post-operatively. Women undergoing hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy also had greater improvement in non-cyclical pelvic pain (MD: 2.22/10, 95% CI: 1.80-2.63, p < 0.001), dyspareunia (MD: 1.05/10, 95% CI: 0.59-1.52, p < 0.001), back pain (MD: 1.18/10, 95% CI: 0.77-1.59, p < 0.001) and quality of life (MD: 12.41/100, 95% CI: 9.07-15.74, p < 0.001) at 24 months compared to endometriosis excision alone. Compared to hysterectomy with ovarian conservation, hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy was associated with greater improvement in non-cyclical pelvic pain (MD: 0.81/10, 95% CI: 0.32-1.30, p = 0.001) at 24 months and quality of life (MD: 3.74/100, 95% CI: 0.56-6.92, p = 0.021) at 12 months, although this result was sensitive to loss to follow-up. Conclusions: Patients who undergo endometriosis excision plus hysterectomy experience greater improvement in pain and quality of life compared to those who have endometriosis excision alone. There are additional benefits of bilateral oophorectomy with hysterectomy, although its value is less clear due to loss of follow-up.