Study objective: To draw a map of pelvic pain and quantify the level of provoked pain during minilaparoscopy under local anesthesia and conscious sedation.
Design: Observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
Setting: University hospital.
Patients: Twenty infertile women.
Interventions: Minilaparoscopy was performed under local anesthesia and conscious sedation, and cognitive performance was evaluated with the Rey auditory verbal learning task.
Measurements and main results: The diagnostic procedure was performed with one 2-mm micrograsper and one 2-mm microprobe to evaluate the pelvis. In particular we grasped utero-ovarian ligaments; we touched, grasped, and distended fallopian tubes with blue dye; we moved the uterus with a manipulator inserted at the cervix; and we touched and grasped bowel and omentum. Level of pain was recorded on a visual analog scale. Patients had no pathologic findings, including minimal endometriosis and pelvic adhesions. The highest level of pain was recorded when we distended the tubes. No pain was elicited when we touched and grasped ovary, omentum, and bowel. In 10% of women when we stretched the tubo-ovarian ligament we provoked a minimal vagal reaction.
Conclusion: Minilaparoscopy under conscious sedation for pelvic pain mapping in women without pain or pathology revealed consistently negative findings, validating the value of this measurement. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 6(1):51-54, 1999)