Prospective, Monocentric Study Comparing Cystectomy to PlasmaJet Ablation in the Surgical Management of Ovarian Endometriomas

The management of ovarian endometriomas in women wishing to conceive remains challenging. Recent data suggest that excising endometriomas by ovarian tissue sparing cystectomy does not avoid inadvertent removal of ovarian parenchyma surrounding the cyst, particularly in enlarged cysts. Although several authors question whether the ovarian parenchyma immediately surrounding the cyst may still be functional, there is little doubt that postoperative fertility could be significantly impaired by loss of ovarian cortex and provokes the question as to whether pregnancy should be initiated before performing a cystectomy, whenever this scenario is possible. However ovarian surgery cannot always be delayed to the postpartum period, numerous women require endometrioma management while not seeking an immediate pregnancy and still wish to conserve their procreative capabilities.

After a period of some years during which cystectomy appeared to be the best surgical technique in the treatment of ovarian endometriomas in women wishing to become pregnant, recent data have suggested that ablation of the inner layer of the endometrioma may be a valuable alternative technique, as long as the energy employed avoids thermal diffusion to surrounding ovarian tissue. The Department of Gynecology at the University Hospital in Rouen, France have introduced ablation by plasma energy using the PlasmaJet system (Plasma Surgical Ltd, Abingdon, UK) and have already been able to report encouraging results based on non comparative pilot studies and on retrospective "before and after" comparative study.

The aim of the study is to prospectively compare loss of ovarian parenchyma and decrease in antral follicle count (AFC) following ovarian endometrioma ablation using plasma energy versus cystectomy, when performed by only two expert surgeons. Postoperative examination is carried out by 3D ultrasound.