Endo Battery Fast Charged: EP 11

Ever wondered why so many surgeons lack proper training in bowel endometriosis? In this episode of Endo Battery Fast Charged, we uncover startling research that points to a significant gap in medical education,  groundbreaking findings that reveal how endometriosis can alter brain activity, the outcome after deep endometriosis surgery, US healthcare system’s support for endometriosis patients, and more.

Click the links below to take a deeper dive into the research!

-Assessment of Education and Management of Endometriosis among Colorectal Surgeons and Residents

-Psychological characteristics and structural brain changes in women with endometriosis and endometriosis-independent chronic pelvic pain

-Long-Term Follow-Up Regarding Pain Relief, Fertility, and Re-Operation after Surgery for Deep Endometriosis

-Women with endometriosis in the United States: National Survey of Family Growth, 2011–2019

Website endobattery.com

Chapters

• 0:01 Understanding Endometriosis and Its Implications
• 9:21 Endometriosis Research

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to Endobattery Fast Charged, a series dedicated to keeping you informed and empowered in the realm of endometriosis. Teaming up with board-certified patient advocates, we bring you the latest articles, research and insights to equip you with accurate information and a deeper understanding. Whether you're expanding your knowledge, staying updated or seeking clarity, you're in the right place. I'm your host, alana, and is EndoBattery Fast Charged charging and empowering your life with knowledge. Welcome back to EndoBattery Fast Charged. Today we're diving into some really good research, because who doesn't love a good deep dive into the latest studies? Right? But first just a quick reminder that correlation does not equal causation. Just because I drink coffee every time I feel productive doesn't mean the coffee's magically giving me energy, or does it? Either way, these research articles are here to charge you up and empower you with knowledge. Let's see what they have to offer. In this first study, it turns out that colorectal surgery residents might just be getting their education on bowel endometriosis from you guessed it Google, and that's not exactly a comforting thought. In a recent study titled Assessment of Education and Management of Endometriosis among colorectal surgeons and residents, researchers set out to understand just how much these future surgeons are learning about managing bowel endo. Spoiler alert. It's not much. More than half of the colorectal surgeons surveyed admitted they didn't receive any formal education on bowel endometriosis. Yes, you heard that right no formal training at all. Imagine showing up to your job as a chef and no one ever taught you how to use an oven. It's like that, but with, you know, like more intestines. The study, which surveyed colorectal surgery trainees from 2012 to 2023, found that the majority of participants had been exposed to drumroll, please a whopping one to five cases of bowel endo during their training. That's right. Some surgeons may have spent more time studying the hospital cafeteria's taco Tuesday menu than actually seeing a patient with endometriosis. In fact, only a very specific 3.8% of respondents had been involved in more than 15 cases, while 40% felt their training just didn't cut it when it came to managing this disease surgically. But hey, at least we have those 3.8% out there living their best bowel endosurgeon lives. Despite the small study size of 70 participants, the results were pretty telling. It's not that colorectal surgeons don't want to know how to manage bowel endometriosis, it's that no one's teaching them. Those who did receive formal education and hands-on experience were unsurprisingly more confident in their skills Shocking, I know. Even more surprising nearly all participants expressed strong desire for further education on this topic Because, let's face it, no one likes to feel clueless in the OR, especially when it comes to handling a disease that affects so many. The authors of the study weren't shy about calling for changes either. They highlighted the need for increased educational opportunities on the surgical management of bowel endometriosis for colorectal surgeons. It's almost like, if we want a better patient outcome, we should actually train doctors who are responsible for treating these patients. What a concept. I'm just happy they're bringing this to light, because so many of endometriosis patients suffer from bowel endometriosis. Cheers to you researchers.

Speaker 1: 3:45

Speaking of progressive researchers, we're finally seeing more studies pop up on connecting endometriosis and mental health, and one of the latest ones might just blow your mind literally. In the research titled Psychological Characteristics and Structural Brain Changes in Women with Endometriosis and Endometriosis-Independent Chronic Pelvic Pain Dug into weather, endometriosis actually changes your brain. Spoiler alert it does, but don't worry, your brain isn't about to sprout tentacles or anything. That'd be a whole different study. In this small but mighty study, researchers looked at the brains of people with endometriosis and compared them to folks with chronic pelvic pain from other causes with endometriosis, and compared them to folks with chronic pelvic pain from other causes. And guess what? Despite both groups dealing with similar levels of pain, solidarity the endo warriors showed more brain activity in areas like the cerebellum. So while everyone is experiencing pain, those with endo were lighting up different brain regions.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Endometriosis isn't just affecting our pelvis, it's taking a tour upstairs too. The severity of menstrual pain and depressive symptoms also played a role in the brain structure. For both groups. It seems that the emotional toll of pain might leave its mark on the brain, as if endo wasn't already leaving its mark everywhere else. The researchers didn't leave us hanging, though. They believe these specific brain changes linked to endometriosis could pave the way for better treatments. Finally, something that could help ease our pain and give us a good excuse for the occasional brain fog. Well, take it. So next time you're dealing with that dreaded endobrain, just remember there's actual science behind why your brain feels like it's been put through the wringer. The study didn't answer all the questions, because of course, that would be too easy, but it's a step closer to understanding how endometriosis uniquely impacts the brain. And if anyone ever tries to blame your pain on just in your head, well, now you've got the research to prove that your brain's involved, but in a whole different way than they think.

Speaker 1: 5:58

On a surgical front, a study titled Long-Term Follow-Up Regarding Pain Relief, fertility and Reoperation After Surgery for Deep Endometriosis was conducted to look at how surgery for deep endometriosis holds up over the long haul. Good news almost 90% of people said their symptoms improved after surgery for at least two years. Pain was reduced, fertility improved and there were fewer. Why is my uterus plotting against me moments Around 45% of patients even reported they were totally symptom-free when they were surveyed. So there's definitely some success to celebrate here. Yay for medical advancements.

Speaker 1: 6:37

But before we throw a party, the researchers made sure to give a healthy dose of reality, because nothing says endometriosis. Quite like a mixed bag of news. They reminded us that surgery isn't a magical cure, that endo could come back for a sequel, and sometimes the symptoms do too, even if endometriosis itself hasn't actually returned. So while surgery can make you feel a lot better, there's still a potential for another showing of endo, the return requiring surgery. Basically, don't cancel your Netflix subscription just yet. You might still need it for recovery downtime. The takeaway Surgery for deep endometriosis can really help, especially when it's done by specialized surgeons who focus on your symptoms and use a multidisciplinary approach.

Speaker 1: 7:23

This is no time for a random general surgeon. Yes, it's a win for pain relief and fertility improvements, but let's keep our expectations in check. The doctors cautioned that it's a complex, multifactorial process and sometimes your body just decides to do its own thing. It's important to talk to your doctor about all the possibilities and get real about what different treatments can and can't do. This study gives us some hope, but reminds us to stay grounded in realistic expectations. So, in summary, endosux surgery can help a lot, but sometimes it's more a truce than a full surrender.

Speaker 1: 8:01

In this last study making media rounds recently titled Women with Endometriosis in the United States National Survey of Family Growth 2011 to 2019, was a study conducted of more than 17,000 people in the US aged 15 to 44, which found that wait for it more than two thirds of these with endometriosis missed school or work because of pain caused by this disease. I know, shocking right Turns out, living with chronic pain might actually make it harder to function. Who would have thought? But this study didn't stop there. They also highlighted some pretty concerning disparities in diagnosis. For instance, black and Hispanic patients were less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis than their white counterparts.

Speaker 1: 8:52

It's like a painful game. Who gets recognized by the healthcare system? Spoiler alert it's not always the people who need it the most. And then, an interesting twist People who identified as part of the LGBTQ plus community were more likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis compared to heterosexual individuals. More likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis compared to heterosexual individuals. It's almost if life decided that handling social pressures wasn't quite enough, so why not add a higher likelihood of endo into the mix, just for fun?

Speaker 1: 9:21

The study's authors wrapped things up by calling for further longitudinal studies to dig deeper into how endometriosis impacts quality of life and fertility Translation. We need more research to fully understand this disease, but in the meantime, people are still out here dealing with it every day. And let's not forget a study done in this same journal, where their national survey spanning 2011 to 2019 doesn't hold back, confirming that the US healthcare system still isn't exactly winning gold medals when it comes to helping people with endo. But hey, at least the conversation is happening right, baby steps. Thank you for tuning in this week. I hope these studies have left you feeling inspired and empowered to create change and advocate more effectively. As always, you can find the links to all these articles mentioned in the episode description. If you came across a research article you'd like us to explore, feel free to send it to info at endobatterycom. Until next time, continue advocating for you and for those that you love.