Studies carried out in England have shown that the rate of this condition in women with infertility problems is quite high, between 30% and 50%. Moreover, in almost every country this condition is among the first three on the list of the most common women’s diseases in the world. It is estimated that the average time needed to diagnose this condition is at least 7 years, even in developed countries. The chocolate cyst, whose development process may be completely without symptoms, may also show itself with intense pain, menstrual cramps, painful sexual intercourse, painful bowel movements during menstruation, depression, diarrhoea and constipation. Whatever the patient’s complaints may be, solutions that will increase quality of life enable the person to live a comfortable life. The different methods applied for endometriosis, whose exact cause and definitive treatment are unknown, allow people to live the kind of life they want. Although the most decisive factor in the treatment of endometriosis is undoubtedly the plans of the woman and her partner regarding pregnancy, the advice of a specialist must also be taken into account when choosing the treatment. The various treatments for endometriosis are a subject intensely discussed both within the medical profession and among the women who suffer from this disease. One of the most important problems is that nobody knows the cause of the disease. The decision on treatment must be taken after considering the severity and type of the symptoms, the age of the patient, the duration of treatment and what the side effects of drug treatment may cause.
How Is a Chocolate Cyst Managed?
Although there is no definitive method of treatment for the chocolate cyst, we apply treatment methods that suppress or relieve it in line with the person’s plans, or in which we surgically remove all the endometriotic lesions. If the person who has this condition has plans about becoming pregnant, the disease can be treated with laparoscopic/robotic excision (cutting out and removing) surgery. Since this procedure is a closed operation, it makes it possible for the person to return to normal life in a short time. Laparoscopic/robotic excision surgery can be described as entering the abdominal cavity through the navel and through small openings. With this method both the diagnosis of the chocolate cyst is confirmed and the cysts and endometriotic implants in the areas where the condition has developed are cleared away, so that the person’s fertility increases and her complaints decrease or disappear completely. Open surgery (laparotomy) is a surgical method that is not preferred in endometriosis surgery because the recovery period is long, the pain after the operation is greater and adhesions inside the abdomen are more frequent. Therefore, if open surgery is avoided in treatment, the patient’s quality of life will be affected very positively by this. Medicines are also widely used in the treatment of endometriosis. Dienogest, a progesterone licensed for endometriosis, birth control pills and various long-acting injections can be used to correct the complaints or to suppress chocolate cysts. Depending on the situation, it may be decided to apply only follow-up, only drug treatment or surgical treatment. Deciding correctly what should be done in which situation in this disease is extremely important in coping with it.