Pelvic Adhesive Disease
Pelvic adhesive disease describes a buildup of scar tissue in or around the female reproductive organs.
About Pelvic Adhesive Disease
Abdominal adhesions are scar tissue that forms between the organs in your abdomen, often caused by tissue damage sustained during surgery. When this scar tissue affects the organs of the female reproductive system, it is known as pelvic adhesive disease. Pelvic adhesions can hinder proper reproductive function and can result in infertility if not properly treated.
Symptoms of Pelvic Adhesive Disease
Symptoms of pelvic adhesive disease may vary based on the extent to which scar tissue affects your reproductive organs; tubal scarring can lead to infertility.
Risk Factors for Pelvic Adhesive Disease
Factors leading to the formation of scar tissue on your reproductive organs may put you at risk for pelvic adhesive disease.
Risk factors for pelvic adhesive disease may include:
- Health history: Scar tissue that causes pelvic adhesive disease is often the result of a prior surgery involving the pelvic organs. Other causes include endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Treating Pelvic Adhesive Disease at UT Medicine
Pelvic adhesions are frequently found during gynecologic surgery when the risk factors above are present. Adhesions alone rarely cause pain and every surgery can lead to further scarring. Presence of pelvic adhesions during surgery can lengthen surgery, place organs at higher risk of injury, and increase the chance of making a larger incision. This is why an advanced pelvic surgeon is necessary to minimize these complications if you have risk factors for pelvic adhesive adhesive disease during surgery. Your care team will work with you to determine the best course of treatment.
