While surgery was once the primary treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), it is extremely rare today, as surgery has the potential to damage the ovaries. Before considering surgery, other medical treatments should be attempted. These include weight management, oral contraception, spironolactone, and symptom management. Surgery to treat fertility issues from PCOS is only considered once other treatments are no longer effective or tolerated.
This article discusses surgery options for PCOS and their risks.
Treating PCOS With Surgery
The only surgical intervention used to treat PCOS: is laparoscopic ovarian drilling. Laparoscopic ovarian drilling uses electrocautery or a laser to destroy parts of the ovary. By destroying areas of the ovary, ovulation can be triggered.
There have been circumstances where some women have had regular menstrual cycles in the months following surgery and even some pregnancies. Generally speaking, the risk of adhesions or scar tissue on the ovary is far greater than the percentage of women who achieved a pregnancy after ovarian drilling.
Risks
As with any surgery, there are risks. Besides the risks associated with anesthesia, lower abdominal pain, bleeding, damage or scarring of the reproductive organs, and infection can occur following either procedure. To minimize these risks, select a doctor who has a lot of experience performing this procedure.
Before considering surgery, have a long discussion with your healthcare provider about why they feel surgery is appropriate. You should also ask your doctor what their experience using ovarian drilling is, how many times they’ve done the procedure, and what the success rates are.
