Prime Highlights:
- A new clinical trial led by Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust is testing a non-invasive method to diagnose Endometriosis earlier.
- The test uses small electrodes on the abdomen to detect activity in the small intestine that may indicate the condition.
Key Facts:
- Endometriosis affects about one in 10 women and can cause severe pain and inflammation when tissue similar to the womb lining grows outside the uterus.
- The trial is recruiting women aged 18 to 50 to study how accurate the new diagnostic method is.
Background:
The UK clinical trial examines a non-surgical diagnostic method that helps women achieve early and safe endometriosis diagnosis. The Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust project represents the National Health Service’s first study, which tests the accuracy of this new medical testing method.
The condition affects approximately 10 per cent of women but requires several years for diagnosis because valid confirmation needs a laparoscopic procedure. The condition occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the uterus, often affecting pelvic organs such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The condition can create three different medical problems, including inflammation, scar tissue formation, and severe pain.
The trial, which started in November, uses tiny electrodes that doctors place on the abdomen to monitor small intestine muscle movements. Consultant gynaecologist Donna Ghosh states that the observed activity patterns can help doctors identify endometriosis in patients who present these specific symptoms.
Doctors hope that the research will help reduce delays in diagnosis and allow patients to begin treatment sooner. Early detection could change the lives of patients like Tenbury Wells’ Jessica Hill. Hill has had endometriosis for sixteen years and has had numerous endometriosis-related procedures.
Researchers are currently seeking women between the ages of 18 and 50 who experience pelvic pain or who will undergo laparoscopic surgery for different medical conditions, or who are healthy, to participate in the trial for testing the new treatment method.
