Endometriosis Care in Kenya

Endometriosis Treatment

Endometriosis is one of the main causes of infertility among women. It is a common and often painful chronic condition in reproductive-aged women. It appears after puberty and always ends at the time of menopause, due to lack of ovarian hormones.

Your Endometriosis Treatment at KLASS

Helping women reclaim their lives

Choosing the right specialist for endometriosis treatment is an essential part of managing the condition. If removed incorrectly, endometrial implants can continue to cause pain and affect fertility. Many women spend tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket for specialist care. At Kenya Laparoscopic Surgery Services, we work on ensuring our patients can focus on getting healthy.

Our advanced-trained specialists understand what women with endometriosis suffer through, therefore, they put the needs of our patients first. Our exclusive procedures were designed by our specialists, which is why so many women travel from around the world for their endometriosis management and treatment with Prof. Rafique Parkar

Although endometriosis is a relatively common condition, it is never easy to be diagnosed. You need to find a specialist who will be by your side throughout the entire process: from your diagnosis to exploring your options, to your surgery or management.

If your case requires surgical management, you may require a Hysterectomy. However, there are also procedures that can preserve the uterus, tubes, and ovaries as much as possible, and our focus is performing the most minimally invasive procedures to treat your condition based on your long term plans.

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue, similar to the tissue which lines the womb (endometrium), grows outside of the uterus.

This tissue may grow in several different places, including the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the bowel, the bladder, and the stomach.

Each month when a woman gets her period, these growths will respond to the body’s hormones by shedding and bleeding in much the same way as normal womb tissue.

Unlike the cells in the womb, which leave the body through the vagina (a normal period), this tissue has nowhere to escape, which often causes inflammation, scarring, and intense pain.

Types of endometriosis

• Internal – When the uterine tissue grows inside of the myometrium it is called Adenomyosis or internal endometriosis.
• External – When the uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus it is called external endometriosis. The uterine tissue can be found almost in every part and organ of the body, but it is more common in the ovaries, peritoneum, rectum, intestine, vagina, vulva, bladder, and liver.

How does endometriosis cause problems?

Because the tissue functions like the lining of the uterus, it grows and thickens with each menstrual cycle.

It also breaks down and bleeds every month. Normal endometrial tissue exits the body through the vagina during a period, but endometriotic tissue is trapped. This can cause pain and irritation to the surrounding tissue, sometimes causing scar tissue, adhesions (organs sticking together), and infertility.

Some women may have severe debilitating pain, while others have no symptoms at all.

It occurs most commonly within the pelvis but has been reported in nearly every other location of the body.

Endometriosis on the ovary can cause cysts called endometriomas, which are filled with menstrual debris.

What Causes Endometriosis?

There are several theories as to the cause of endometriosis, but none has been established with certainty.

The principal theories include:

• Retrograde menstruation through the fallopian tubes leading to abnormal implantation of endometrial tissue in the pelvis.
• Spread of endometrial tissue in the blood vessels and lymphatics. Endometrial cells are carried from the uterus to other areas of the body via lymphatics and blood vessels.
• The ability of cells in the pelvic cavity to develop into endometrial tissue.
• A faulty immune system that is unable to detect and destroy endometrial tissue outside of the uterus.

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

Symptoms are wide-ranging and diverse, the disease can present itself in many different ways, varying from woman to woman.

1. Heavy(Menorrhagia), irregular, painful periods.
2. Pain during (Dyspareunia ) or after sexual intercourse.
3. Lower back pain.
4. Abdominal pain.
5. Pain when passing urine.
6. Bleeding from the bowel or the bladder during menstruation.
7. Fertility problems.
8. Long-term fatigue.
9. Constipation.
10. Diarrhea.
11. Bloating.
12. Migraines.
13. Difficulty breathing.

How is endometriosis diagnosed?

Endometriosis is a difficult condition to diagnose for a variety of reasons :

• The symptoms of the condition are wide and differ from woman to woman.
• Symptoms share characteristics with other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

A detailed medical history in combination with clinical examination will give clues as to whether you have endometriosis. Our Top Rated Surgeon, Prof. Rafique Parkar, asks questions about your period, the location and severity of pain you experience, whether sex causes discomfort, and whether you have bowel problems.

Additionally, pelvic examinations, transvaginal ultrasounds, and Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) can help diagnose endometriosis.

Moreover, the only way to give a conclusive diagnosis is through surgery.

At KLASS, we use laparoscopic surgery to diagnose & excise pelvic endometriosis.

Management & Treatment

There are both medical and surgical options for the treatment of endometriosis.

Medical treatment options relieve pain but only suppress and do not eliminate the disease. There is no evidence to suggest that medical treatment improves fertility.

Medical therapy includes hormonal treatments and anti-inflammatory medications that can be used separately or in combination. Newer drugs like Visanne are also effective in alleviating symptoms & treating the condition.

Surgical treatment of endometriosis is recommended to restore normal pelvic anatomy that is often altered by resultant adhesive disease and to ablate or excise as much visible endometriosis as possible.

Furthermore, surgery is suggested for the removal of endometriomas, especially once these cysts are greater than 2 cm.

Laparoscopic Treatment of Endometriosis

Finding an endometriosis specialist in Kenya is crucial to getting proper treatment for the condition. It is the first operative procedure performed by adequately trained experts that yield the best outcome.

It is important to see a well qualified and well-trained minimally invasive surgery specialist at the onset.

Laparoscopy is widely used for treating endometriosis. Usually, this method is used to diagnose and treat mild to moderate cases.

Laparoscopic treatment is more convenient, compared to laparotomy treatment, as the incisions are very small and the recovery period is shorter.

Laparoscopy is first used to diagnose and examine the pelvic organs, but also to remove any possible implants or scar tissue.

Laparoscopy is performed in cases when:

• Endometriosis is the possible cause of infertility. In these cases, any possible and visible scar tissues are removed. The scar tissue can interfere with a woman’s fertility.
• For treating endometrioma (a cyst on the ovaries).
• Pain caused by endometriosis, which has continued or has returned after the hormone therapy.
• To treat severe pain caused by endometriosis, which can’t be relieved with other medication methods.
• To treat and remove the scar tissue found in the pelvic organs and abdomen that is thought to interfere with internal organs like the bladder and the rectum.

Risks & Possible Complications

Laparoscopic procedure when performed correctly has a faster recovery time and less discomfort compared to conventional surgery.

However, like any other surgery it has its possible risks and complications particularly if the endometriosis involves the bowel, ureters, and bladder.

The entire team at KLASS recommends you come in for a consultation so that the doctor can come up with the best treatment plan suited to you

Possible risks and complications of laparoscopic treatment are:

1. Uncontrolled bleeding, which will result need laparotomy treatment to stop the bleeding.
2. Pelvic infection.
3. Damage to the nearby organs like bladder, bowel, or uterus.
4. Formation of adhesions after the surgery.

Whether you are undergoing a definitive surgery or a conservative surgery for endometriosis, when you have it done at KLASS, you know you are working with specialists who have immense expertise and skill on this type of procedure.

Feel free to contact us should you require any assistance.

Your Laparoscopy Procedure With Prof. Rafique Parkar

Committed to surgical excellence

Prof. Rafique Parkar pioneered Minimal Access Surgery in Africa 25 years ago and operates at the highest level of expertise in Africa. ( Level VI )

He is committed to improving the lifestyles of women in Kenya and the world by helping them gain access to top-level minimal access surgery in Africa.

He strongly believes that all women have the right to informed consent and should have access to the best treatment plans suited for them and that is the reason why he founded KLASS ( Kenya Laparoscopic Surgery Services ).

Together with his team at KLASS, they provide the highest level of holistic surgical care to women, ensuring that they meet their individual health needs.

Prof. Rafique Parkar specializes in helping women who ail from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Uterine Fibroids, Ovarian Cysts, Pelvic Floor Problems, Ectopic Pregnancies, and Gynecologic Cancers.