Pelvic Adhesive Disease
Pelvic pain can be severe and sometimes it's only mild and uncomfortable — but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Pelvic adhesive disease is a condition where, for a number of different reasons, scar tissue develops in the pelvis. This scar tissue cannot be cured through surgery, but you may have options to relieve painful symptoms.
What is pelvic adhesive disease?
Pelvic adhesive disease is a condition that causes scar tissue (or pelvic adhesions) to grow outside of the female reproductive organs and binds them together.
Symptoms and warning signs can include:
- Abdominal and pelvic pain
- Infertility
- Pain during sex, menstruation, or bowel movements
An initial infection that causes inflammation can lead to pelvic adhesive disease — it can develop alongside other pelvic conditions, after pelvic surgery or other events that expose the pelvis to bacteria.
These causes can include:
- Appendicitis
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Surgery (including C-section, ovarian cyst removal, or endometriosis treatment)
- Endometriosis
Diagnosis and testing for pelvic adhesive disease
You doctor may recommend one or a combination of the following diagnosis and testing methods:
- Pelvic exam
- Laparoscopy
- Ultrasound
- Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) test
Pelvic adhesive disease treatment options
Laparoscopic surgery may be the optimal treatment option for pelvic adhesive disease. Pelvic adhesions are less likely to grow back after laparoscopy or hysteroscopy than after traditional open surgery.