TITLE:
Clinical Presentation, Laparoscopic Findings, and Therapeutic Aspects of Endometriosis in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopy at the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital
AUTHORS:
Isidore Tompeen, Sandrine Kenmogne, Junie Ngaha, Véronique Mboua Batoun, Esther Meka, Pascale Mpono, Dohbit Sama, Foumane Pascal
KEYWORDS:
Endometriosis, Clinical Presentation, Laparoscopy, Treatment, YGOPH
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.15 No.10,
October
29,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease defined as the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. It affects approximately 10% of women of childbearing age worldwide. It is a public health issue characterized by severe pain and infertility that negatively impacts the quality of life of affected patients. Laparoscopy plays a pivotal role in its diagnosis and surgical management. However, access to this minimally invasive technique remains limited to a few specialized hospital centers, including the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric (YGOPH). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, laparoscopic, and therapeutic aspects of endometriosis in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery at YGOPH. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection over a five-year period from January 2018 to July 2023, conducted in the Gynecology Department of YGOPH. We included patients with complete medical records who underwent laparoscopy and were diagnosed with endometriosis lesions. Disease staging was performed using the revised American Society of Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) classification. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26, and results were expressed as the mean, frequency, and percentage. Results: Among 413 women who underwent laparoscopic surgery, 71 were diagnosed with endometriosis lesions, accounting for 17.2% of cases. The average age was 31.9 ± 5 years, and the average age at menarche was 12.28 ± 2.08 years. Nulliparous women accounted for 61% of cases. The most common clinical symptoms were chronic pelvic pain (53%) and infertility (59.4%). Pelvic ultrasound was the most frequently performed imaging study (53%). The primary surgical indications were infertility (34%), chronic pelvic pain (19%), and ovarian cysts (17%). Regarding laparoscopy, superficial endometriosis was the most prevalent phenotype (67%), with the ovary being the most affected organ (75%). The uterosacral ligaments were the most frequent location of deep lesions (65%). According to the rASRM, endometriosis was severe in 52% of cases. Surgically, endometriomas were systematically drained, followed by cyst wall excision in all cases. Superficial lesions were ablated by fulguration in 40.5% of cases. Conclusion: The prevalence of endometriosis among women undergoing laparoscopic surgery was 17.2%. This condition primarily affected young, infertile women with chronic pelvic pain. Superficial endometriosis was the most common phenotype, with surgical management tailored accordingly.