Endometriosis Excision Surgery in Colombia: Finding a True Excision Specialist

Excision vs ablation: the question that decides everything

Ablation burns the surface of an endometriosis lesion. Excision cuts the lesion out down to healthy tissue. For deep infiltrating disease, excision is what the specialist community recommends because it removes the disease rather than the visible top of it and provides tissue for pathology. Many general gynecologists worldwide, including in Colombia, still ablate. The surgeon you want is one who describes their technique as excision, sends specimens to pathology, and can talk about bowel, bladder and ureter involvement without changing the subject.

Ask these questions on the first call. How many endometriosis surgeries do you do per year? Do you excise or ablate? Do you operate with a colorectal or urology surgeon on standby for deep disease? Do you send every lesion to pathology? Will I get the operative video or photos? A specialist answers all five in two minutes.

What excision surgery costs in Colombia

US excision specialists are frequently out of network, which is why cash prices there are so high. In Canada, the wait for a recognized excision center can exceed a year. Colombia has a smaller number of surgeons doing high-volume excision, mostly in Bogotá and Medellín, and their pricing is a fraction of the US figure with the hospital included.

What to send before you book

• Any prior operative reports and photos. If you have had ablation before, say so.
• A recent pelvic MRI, ideally with an endometriosis protocol. Transvaginal ultrasound by someone trained in endometriosis mapping is also useful.
• Your symptom history: bowel symptoms, bladder symptoms, pain with intercourse, cycle pattern.
• Current medications, including hormonal suppression.
• Whether fertility is a goal. It changes the plan. Colombia has strong IVF centers; see our fertility spoke.

Trip timeline

1. Day 1 to 2: consult and mapping. In-person consult, ultrasound mapping, pre-anesthesia evaluation. For suspected bowel disease, the surgeon may order additional imaging.
2. Day 3: surgery. Two to four hours for deep disease. One night in hospital is standard; bowel involvement means more.
3. Day 5 to 7: post-op visit. Incision check, preliminary operative findings, pathology sent.
4. Day 10 to 14: clearance to fly. Most patients fly at 10 to 14 days. Ask about post-operative hormonal suppression and who manages it at home.

How to vet the surgeon and the hospital

• Verify the surgeon on ReTHUS and check that the relevant specialty is registered, not just the medical degree.
• Confirm the facility is registered and habilitated in REPS. For anything under general anesthesia, prefer a hospital or a surgical center inside a hospital campus.
• If a hospital claims JCI accreditation, check the JCI directory yourself. JCI is hospital-level only; no individual surgeon is JCI-accredited.
• Ask for the surgeon's annual volume for this specific operation and how they handle a complication after you have flown home.
• Get an itemized quote: surgeon, anesthesiologist, facility, pathology, implants or devices, medications, and every follow-up visit.

Frequently asked questions