Chronic Pelvic Pain Flashcards
Differential diagnosis for chronic pelvic pain?
From passmed
Endometriosis
IBS
Ovarian cyst
Urogenital prolapse
Could remember this by the vowels - (a) E I O U
What features in Hx taking would lead you to think pelvic pain was chronic in nature?
- Intermittent or constant
- in lower abdomen or pelvis
- at least **6 months **in duration
- NOT occuring exclusively with menstruation or intercourse, and NOT associated with pregnancy
Acute pain resolves when tissues involved heal.
Why does pain persist for longer in chronic pelvic pain?
From BB slides
Additional factors contribute so pain persists:
Local factord at the site of pain (chemokines and TNF alpha) affect peripheral nerves
Persistant pain leads to changes in the CNS - so magnifies original signal
Get visceral hyperalgesia - where there is an alteration in visceral sensation and function
Pelvic pain is multifactorial.
What factors contribute to pelvic pain?
MSK pain
Social and psychological factors
PID
Intrabdominal Adhesions
IBS
Endometriosis and Adenomyosis
Interstitial cystitis
Nerve entrapment
Define endometriosis
Endometriosis is characterized by the growth of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterus. (endometrium like tissue = endometrial glands and stroma like lesions)
Deposits are most commonly distributed in the pelvis; on the ovaries, uterosacral ligaments, pouch of Douglas, rectum and sigmoid colon, bladder and distal ureter.
Endometriosis is hormone mediated (responds to cyclical hormonal changes) and is associated with menstruation.
What is adenomyosis
From BB slides
Presence of endometrial tissue within the myometrium resulting in significant pelvic pain and heavy bleeding at menstruation
Gold standard diagnosis: Diagnosed by histology after a hysterectomy
Imaging is required - USS and MRI - to give Dx (this is done before histology
Describe aetiology of endometriosis
(what theories have been explored?)
BB and NICE
Exact cause is unkown
- Retrograde menstruation (Sampson’s theory)
Endometrial cells flow backwards from uterine cavity, through the fallopian tubes and implant on pelvic organs where they can seed and grow - Coelomic metaplasia (Meyer’s theory)
cells in the pelvic and abdominal area change into endometrial type cells of the germinal epithelium. - Müllerian remnants - differentiae into endometrial tissue in the pelvis
What would be in Hx of pt with suspected endometrosis?
List distinguishing factors if you can!
- Persistant lower abdominal pain (6m+)
- Dysmenorrhea
- Dyspareunia
- Dyschezia = painful defecation
- Dysuria = painful urination
- Menorrhagia
- Rectal bleeding or epistaxis
- Intermenstrual bleeding and post coital bleeding
NICE say should suspect endometriosis if 1 or more of those ^ are presented.
In endometriosis, is there a correlation between symptom severity and disease severity?
NO! No correlation between them, for some pts it is asymptomatic
A lady has minimum - mild endometriosis. What would you expect to find when conducting a clinical examination?
- if mild = usually nothing found on examination
A lady has moderate - severe endometriosis. What would you expect to find on clinical examination?
Thickened uterosacral ligaments
Fixed retroverted uterus
Uterine/Ovarian enlargement
Forniceal tenderness (in posterior vaginal fornix)
Uterine tenderness
A woman undergoes laparoscopy. What is this?
Powder burn deposit
These are bluish/brown lesions/plaques which represent haemolysed blood encased in fibrotic tissue
A woman undergoes laparoscopy for endometriosis. What are these?
Red flame lesions
A woman undergoes laparoscopy for endometriosis. What is this?
Scarring - seen when endometriosis is not active
A lady undergoes laparoscopy for endometriosis. What are these?
Peritoneal defects - seen in the pelvic peritoneum
What does treatment for endometriosis depend on?
BB slide
- Fertility issues
- Type and severity of symptoms
- Therapies tried and therapies failed
- Expertise available
- Patients wishes
A woman with endometriosis would like to manage her condition medically.
What are the medical management options available?
Medical management aim is to suppress ovulation and growth of endometrium
COCP
Continuous progestogen therapy (MPA) - mostly desogestrol is used as it also helps with preventing ovulation.
GnRH analogues (nasal spray/implant)
* +/- HRT (“add back” therapy) - needs to be given in GnRH is used for more than 3 months
Mefenamic acid/tranexamic acid
Danazol - not used in practice anymore
Surgical management options for endometriosis?
- Laparoscopic - diathermy, laser
- total hysterectomy + bilateral salipingo-oophrectomy