Nerve Injury as a Risk From a Laparoscopy for Endometriosis

While rare, with a laparoscopy for endometriosis, nerve injury is a possible risk. These injuries can range from mild to severe. Nerve damage occurs with any surgery because the skin is being cut into; however, in most cases, this damage heals without problems. In rare cases, people have numbness in areas of their skin or trouble moving their muscles.

Laparoscopic Surgery-Endometriosis

Risks With a Laparoscopy for Endometriosis: Nerve Injury

Your brain and spinal cord help control all of your actions and how your body works. Your brain controls things like jumping, breathing, and snapping your fingers. It also controls your senses, such as smelling and hearing.

Your brain is connected to your entire body by nerves. Your muscles have nerves that help them move. Even each cell of your skin is connected to your brain by nerves. This is how you feel things. The closer they are to your brain, the bigger and thicker your nerves are. The farther away they get from the brain, the smaller and thinner they are.

Because nerves near your skin are so small, it is impossible to have a surgery and not cut them. Nerves usually heal with your skin after the surgery. However, sometimes nerves are cut and do not heal. This is called nerve damage. Nerve damage can be small or large. It might only last for a short time, or it might last the rest of your life. Some people cannot feel small spots on their skin. As time goes on, the numbness will gradually decrease. In extreme cases, some people have trouble with their muscles. Sometimes surgery can help these problems, but not always.

Only about 1 out of 1,000 women who have a laparoscopy for endometriosis will have nerve injury.