What is an ovarian drilling or wedge resection?
The purpose of both surgeries is the same, to reduce androgens and restore menses, but the wedge resection is rarely done anymore. The success of the wedge resection may be higher than that of ovarian drilling, but the drilling is a less invasive procedure with less risk of scarring. The wedge resection involves doing a laparotomy (a major abdominal surgery where a long cut is made along the bikini line), and then cutting a portion (wedge) out of the ovary and stitching the ovary back together. The procedure is known to result a significant reduction in LH and androgen production. Some studies noted establishment of regular menses in more than 75 percent of patients and a pregnancy rate of about 60 percent. Unfortunately the risk of adhesions, sometimes severe, is around 30 percent. The more common procedure today is ovarian drilling (microcautery or diathermy) done by outpatient laparoscopic surgery. A small needle is used to make 4-20 punctures in the ovary. An electric current is pa
