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  • With Mayo Clinic internist

    Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.

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Question

Endometriosis after hysterectomy: What causes recurrence?

Can endometriosis recur after a hysterectomy? I had my uterus and ovaries removed two years ago.

Answer

from Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.

Although uncommon, endometriosis can recur after removal of the uterus and both ovaries (hysterectomy with oophorectomy), if you're taking estrogen therapy. Endometriosis is a painful condition in which a type of tissue that normally lines your uterus becomes implanted outside your uterus, most often on your fallopian tubes, ovaries or the tissue lining your pelvis. Endometriosis needs estrogen — which is produced primarily by the ovaries — to persist. If you have your uterus and both ovaries removed, endometriosis pain usually goes away. However, if you're taking estrogen for menopause symptoms, endometriosis may persist or return even after such a procedure. In such cases, endometriosis usually has spread beyond the lining of the pelvis. Talk to your doctor about treatment options for endometriosis after hysterectomy and oophorectomy.

AN01873

June 19, 2008

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