Chronic pelvic pain is intermittent or constant pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis at least 6 months in duration, not necessarily with periods or intercourse. It is common and affects around 1 in 6 women. It can be distressing and affect quality of life and a woman’s ability to carry out everyday activities. It can be caused by a combination of several different factors rather than a single underlying cause. The most common causes are endometriosis (a condition where the inner lining of the womb is outside the womb usually in the pelvis), adenomyosis (a condition where the inner lining of the womb is in the muscle layer of the womb), pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), adhesions (scar tissue due to previous operations or infections or endometriosis, Bladder inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It could also be due to pain in the muscles, joints or trapped nerve. Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment will help to reduce the disruption of the woman’s life

Diagnostic laparoscopy

Diagnostic laparoscopy is usually performed to investigate the cause of abdominal or pelvic pain. It is performed as a day case procedure. Diagnostic laparoscopy is performed while you are asleep under general anaesthetic. Bladder will be emptied and you will be examined vaginally before starting the laparoscopy. Being able to manipulate the womb from side to side also enhances the view of the pelvic organs. This is achieved by placing a probe into the cavity of the womb at the time of vaginal examination. The probe is then attached to the cervix (neck of the womb) and manipulated from below. A small incision is made at the umbilicus (navel) and a slim telescope is inserted into the abdomen so that the uterus (womb), ovaries and fallopian tubes can be clearly visualised. To create space inside, carbon dioxide gas is introduced to lift the wall of the abdomen away from the internal organs. A small probe is usually inserted through a second, smaller, abdominal incision and this allows a more careful inspection of the pelvic organs.