Lumenis sponsored a series of educational events centered around endometriosis – an important step forward in increasing awareness and meeting the needs of millions of women and adolescents suffering from the condition. The first Endometriosis Fellowship & Course, held by the Nezhat Family Foundation and Worldwide EndoMarch in July 2018, offered free education to pre-med and public health undergraduate students ready to take on the challenges of treating this very common condition, which is dramatically under-diagnosed and often misunderstood.
An estimated 200 million individuals worldwide suffer from endometriosis, a disease in which when tissue similar, but not identical, to the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body, most commonly the pelvis and reproductive organs causing several conditions, including but not limited to chronic pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, increased menstrual bleeding, infertility, and organ dysfunction. Endometriosis affects a person’s ability to lead active, happy, daily lives and have children. In the past, lack of knowledge about the disease and its symptoms led to delayed diagnosis and mistreatment, but awareness of endometriosis has grown in recent years, in turn resulting in better patient care. Despite the increased awareness, the endometriosis community continues to recognize a major shortage of experts in the field, meaning millions of women and adolescents with the condition still do not have access to accurate diagnosis and treatment.
“Endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 women and adolescents, many of whom suffer for years without a diagnosis. It is a whole-body disease affecting all the organs of the body. Through the Endometriosis Fellowship & Course, we want to engage a new generation of endometriosis experts to increase access to care and help solve this major public health crisis,” said Dr. Camran Nezhat, founder of the Nezhat Family Foundation and Worldwide EndoMarch. “One goal for endometriosis is to develop minimally invasive therapies, which is why we are happy to partner with Lumenis, whose FiberLase CO2 laser technology enables us to delicately and precisely remove endometriotic cells while preserving healthy tissue, including reproductive structures.”
The first free Endometriosis Fellowship & Course took place on four consecutive Saturdays (July 7, 14, 21, 28), with two groups of students attending separate locations: the University of California, San Francisco, Mission Bay Campus, and Stanford University’s Li Ka Shing Center. Expert speakers included Dr. Camran Nezhat, inventor of video laparoscopy and the world’s leading expert on endometriosis, as well as Dr. Azadeh Nezhat, Dr. Ceana Nezhat, Dr. Michelle Wood, Dr. Linda Guidice, Dr. Jessica Opoku-Anane, and Dr. Megan Burns. During the course, participants had a rich classroom curriculum as well as opportunities to work with the Lumenis CO2 laser solutions in a hands-on setting.
“This is an exciting time in the endometriosis community, when growing awareness of this disease is meeting new growth in technology and patient care,” said Brad Oliver, Lumenis Regional President of North and South America. “As the world leader in CO2 lasers, Lumenis is very proud to join dedicated partners like the Nezhat Family Foundation and Worldwide EndoMarch to fuel that momentum, with a strong determination to change the future by educating and inspiring tomorrow’s experts in the field.”
Lumenis offers FiberLase™, the only high power CO2 laser fiber. Using the Lumenis advanced UltraPulse™ Duo CO2 laser with FiberLase, surgeons can perform minimally invasive procedures to treat endometriosis relieving pain symptoms while preserving fertility – a key objective for many patients. Experts recommend this laparoscopic approach in cases where pain reduction and reduced morbidity are paramount.1
1. Young S, Burns MK, DiFrancesco L, Nezhat A, Nezhat C. Diagnostic and treatment guidelines for gastrointestinal and genitourinary endometriosis. J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc. 2017 Dec 15;18(4):200-209.
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