Clinical and endocrine effects of laser vaporization in patients with polycystic ovarian disease

Responses to laparoscopic ovarian laser vaporization were studied in 11 anovulatory patients with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). Ovulatory cycles were obtained in 14 patients (82%). A total of 11 patients (65%) conceived within 1-8 months. Measurements of basal serum hormone levels before and after the procedure in 12 patients revealed a significant decline in testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and androstenedione. In addition, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels decreased, but not significantly. On the other hand estradiol levels slightly increased and a surge in luteal progesterone levels was noted. Serum levels of sex hormone binding globulin, prolactin, dehydroepiandro-sterone (DHEA) sulfate, 17- OH-progesterone and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) remained unchanged. These results suggest that ovarian laser vaporization is very useful when clomiphene citrate fails in PCOD, and has no risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or multiple gestation, which is frequently observed in ovulation induction with drugs. Most of the endocrine abnormalities associated with PCOD are corrected by the laser procedure.