Endometriosis after hysterectomy: What causes recurrence?

Although uncommon, endometriosis can recur after removal of the uterus and both ovaries (hysterectomy with oophorectomy), if you're taking estrogen therapy. Endometriosis is a painful condition in which a type of tissue that normally lines your uterus becomes implanted outside your uterus, most often on your fallopian tubes, ovaries or the tissue lining your pelvis. Endometriosis needs estrogen — which is produced primarily by the ovaries — to persist. If you have your uterus and both ovaries removed, endometriosis pain usually goes away. However, if you're taking estrogen for menopause symptoms, endometriosis may persist or return even after such a procedure. In such cases, endometriosis usually has spread beyond the lining of the pelvis. Talk to your doctor about treatment options for endometriosis after hysterectomy and oophorectomy.