Chronic pelvic pain and quality of life after laparoscopy

OBJECTIVES: To examine the long-term relationship between chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and quality of life and see if this is affected by a negative laparoscopy result. STUDY DESIGN: A postal questionnaire survey of CPP and quality of life in 63 women who underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy 12-18 months previously. RESULTS: Women with CPP still reported pain 12-18 months after laparoscopy and a significantly poorer quality of life than UK norms for women of a similar age. Factor analysis showed that reports of pain symptoms clustered into two dimensions: (1) pain associated with menstruation and (2) pain associated with sexual intercourse and bladder and bowel function. Most dimensions of quality of life were significantly associated with pain. However, 'role limitation due to emotional problems' and 'mental health' were only associated with pain due to sexual intercourse and bladder and bowel function. Pain and quality of life were not affected by laparoscopy result or follow-up appointment. CONCLUSIONS: Women with CPP continue to have pain and a low quality of life 12-18 months after laparoscopy. Laparoscopy results and follow-up appointments do not appear to affect either pain symptoms or quality of life in the long term, although this may be confounded by women obtaining treatment elsewhere.