Efficacy of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device in the treatment of recurrent pelvic pain in multitreated endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) in the treatment of pelvic pain in patients with endometriosis in which previous medical and surgical treatments have failed. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study evaluated pelvic pain by means of both a visual analog grading scale and a verbal descriptive grading scale. Pain was evaluated before insertion of the LNG-IUD and afterwards at 3-month intervals. Adverse effects and reasons for removal were recorded. Me dian follow-up was 22 months (range 3-36 months). Response rates were expressed as a percentage of the initial cohort in whom the LNG-IUD was inserted including cases in which the LNG-IUD was extracted. RESULTS: Three months after LNG-IUD insertion almost 50% of patients reported an improvement in pain symptoms with this figure rising to 60% after 6 months and almost 70% by the end of follow-up. A trend of better responses was observed when endometriosis was diagnosed <10 years before as well as in stage I-II endometriosis but these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In endometriosis patients with recurrent pelvic pain in whom previous medical and surgical treatments have failed LNG-IUD insertion should be considered before radical surgery is performed.