Q I hear it often recurs even after surgery - how high is the recurrence rate?
A The 5-year recurrence rate after conservative surgery reaches 40-50%. Consistent management - combining hormonal therapy, lifestyle care, and supportive Korean medicine treatment - is needed to suppress recurrence.
Detailed Answer
Because endometriosis is fundamentally an estrogen-dependent disease, the risk of recurrence exists as long as estrogen is being secreted during the reproductive years. The 5-year recurrence rate after conservative laparoscopic surgery is reported at 40-50%, and the more extensive the lesions, the faster the recurrence. Maintenance therapy with OCPs or GnRH agonists after surgery has the strongest evidence for suppressing recurrence.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we begin warming-the-uterus and blood-invigorating, stasis-resolving treatment from the post-surgical recovery period to stabilize uterine blood flow and suppress the re-formation of blood stasis. Through Korean medicine management on a 3-6 month cycle and lifestyle guidance, our goal is to lengthen the intervals between recurrences.
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