Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40048474›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Conservative endometrioma surgery: The combined technique versus CO2-laser vaporization only (BLAST: Belgium LAser STudy): Clinical protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Celine Bafort, Sharon Lie Fong, Steffen Fieuws, Brecht Geysenbergh, Michelle Nisolle, Jean-Luc Squifflet, Linda Tebache, Christine Wyns, Christel Meuleman, Carla Tomassetti

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04151433 (BLAST), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04151433 narecruitingnot on this map

BLAST: a Randomized Controlled Trial on Conservative Endometrioma Surgery Using the CO2 Laser: the Combined Technique Versus CO2 Laser Vaporization Only

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversitaire Ziekenhuizen KU LeuvenRan2019 to 2026Enrolled92ConditionsEndometriosis Ovary, EndometriomaArmsComparison between 2 different laparoscopic techniques in conservative surgical treatment of endometriomas (both arms are existing and accepted surgical strategies).
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Celine BafortDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Leuven University Fertility Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-0476-1304
Sharon Lie FongDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Leuven University Fertility Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Steffen FieuwsDepartment of Public Health, Interuniversity Centre for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Brecht GeysenberghDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, GZA (Gasthuiszusters Antwerpen) Sint-Augustinus, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-9577-4911
Michelle NisolleDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hôpital de La Citadelle, Liège, Belgium.
Jean-Luc SquiffletDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
Linda TebacheDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinique André Renard, Herstal, Belgium.
Christine WynsDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
Christel MeulemanDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Leuven University Fertility Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Carla TomassettiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Leuven University Fertility Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe surgical management of endometrioma(s) remains challenging. Although laparoscopic surgery is a well-established treatment of endometrioma(s), caution is required to minimize ovarian damage. Several surgical techniques have been described to treat endometrioma(s): classical cystectomy, ablative techniques, or a combination of both. As cystectomy is strongly associated with a reduction in ovarian reserve, this randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to determine to what extent the two other surgical procedures may affect ovarian reserve by comparing changes in serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels concentrations after each type of surgery.

methodsThis is a multicenter, non-blinded, RCT with parallel groups (group 1 (combined technique) versus group 2 (CO2 laser vaporization only)) and allocation 1:1. Four Belgian centers will be involved. Main inclusion criteria are symptomatic patients (pain and/or infertility), 18-40 years (both inclusive) with an endometriotic cyst (mean diameter of ≥ 2.5 cm and ≤ 8 cm) and AMH level ≥ 0.7 ng/mL. Suspicion of malignancy, a contralateral endometrioma of > 2 cm, use of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues around timing of surgery or previous oophorectomy are exclusion criteria. The primary aim is the evaluation of the difference in serum AMH levels between baseline and 3 months postoperatively (or delta AMH). The secondary outcomes include differences in AMH levels at 6 and 12 months postoperatively, cyst recurrence rate, evolution of pain pattern and fertility outcomes. DISCUSSION: The present study will help us to answer the question on which surgical technique for endometrioma(s) has the most favorable outcome in patients wishing to preserve their reproductive potential.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04151433. Registered on November 5th, 2019.

Indexed as

EndometriosisLasers, GasLaser TherapyAdolescentAdultAnti-Mullerian HormoneBelgiumFemaleHumansLaparoscopyMulticenter Studies as TopicOvarian ReserveRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicYoung AdultAnti-Mullerian Hormone

Identifiers

PMID40048474
PMCPMC11884717

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.