PrePOSE Study
Predicting the Pain Outcome of Surgery for Endometriosis
Why is this Study Important?
Around 10% of women are affected by Endometriosis. To try and treat symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and poorer quality of life, surgery is often recommended, especially for more severe disease stages (stages III / IV). Unfortunately, surgery does not improve pain symptoms for everyone
Understanding who will have reduced pain after endometriosis surgery
This study aims to see if we can predict who will get benefit from endometriosis surgery by having a reduction in their pelvic pain. Based on our previous work, our main interest is to see if we can use a brain scan (MRI) before surgery to identify people who will benefit. We will then explore whether a combination of measures such as questionnaires and other clinical information relates to the brain scan information. If it does, then this might be an easier (and cheaper!) way to help people decide whether surgery is the right option for them.
Ultimately, we hope this study will provide information to improve the pathway of care for people with severe endometriosis and allow healthcare professionals to offer a more personalised approach.
What does taking part involve?
Taking part in this study consists of 5 data collection points:
- Baseline visit at the John Radcliffe Hospital (Questionnaires, fMRI scan, blood sample, sensory testing) ~ between 2 and 3 hours
- Day of surgery (Questionnaires, biological sample collection during surgery)
- Online questionnaire 3 months post-surgery ~ 30 minutes
- Online questionnaire 6 months post-surgery ~ 30 minutes
- Online questionnaire 12 months post surgery ~ 30 minutes
View videos showing participants what they can expect from an MRI scan here. Scroll down the webpage to the "Coming for an MRI scan at Oxford university centre for integrative neuroimaging" section to see the MRI specific video).
The team
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Katy Vincent
Professor of Gynaecological Pain and Honorary Consultant Gynaecologist
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Christian M. Becker
Professor of Reproductive Sciences and Co-Director Endometriosis CaRe Centre.
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Lysia Demetriou
Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Neuroimaging and Pain Data Analysis
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Lydia Coxon
Senior Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Pain Data Collection and Analysis
How you can help
We are looking for volunteers to take part in this study, which aims to improve our understanding of pain outcomes following endometriosis surgery.
Help us work towards an improved, more personalised, treatment approach for people with severe endometriosis.
If you are interested in getting involved, please email prepose@wrh.ox.ac.uk
By volunteering in medical research, you contribute to advancements that can improve countless lives and become a part of groundbreaking discoveries. Your efforts can spark change and inspire others, creating a ripple effect of positive impact. - Professor Krina Zondervan, Head of Nuffield Dept. of Women's & Reproductive Health