The Centre for Endometriosis and Minimally Invasive Gynaecology

The Centre for Endometriosis and Minimally Invasive Gynaecology (CEMIG) at The Lister Hospital brings together leading experts in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, all under one roof.
Led by renowned gynaecologist Mr Shaheen Khazali, our world-class consultants offer patients personally tailored care plans to address even the most challenging symptoms.

For women living with endometriosis, getting access to the right healthcare at the right time is critical, yet its complexity makes it harder to diagnose and treat and requires highly specialist care. Our transformative approach offers new hope for those living with the condition, within a warm, welcoming space. 

Endometriosis is a painful disorder that occurs when tissue similar to the lining of a woman’s uterus grows in other areas.

It can cause severe pain, with symptoms that include:

At The Centre for Endometriosis we offer patients a range of diagnostic options, including pelvic ultrasound and specialised MRI scans, which can be help to identify abnormalities in many cases. 

Our exceptional multidisciplinary team consists of consultant radiologists – all of whom have specialist expertise in endometriosis. This is essential, not only to diagnose the extent of the disease, but also to appropriately plan surgery if required.

A normal ultrasound or MRI does not rule out endometriosis and sometimes it is necessary to carry out a laparoscopy - a minimally-invasive procedure carried out under general anaesthetic that helps to definitively diagnose or rule out endometriosis. 

Thoracic endometriosis is where endometrial tissue is located in the chest cavity. It may be on the diaphragm (the muscle that helps you to breathe in and out) or the lungs. 

Symptoms of thoracic endometriosis include the common symptoms of pelvic endometriosis, plus others that occur at the same time as your period. These can include chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing up blood or recurrent collapsed lung.  

You may be given a CT scan or an MRI scan to check for signs of thoracic endometriosis. Video-assisted laparoscopy (VL) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), where a surgeon inserts a camera through small incisions, are usually used to view the suspected endometriosis tissue. Your surgeon may take samples of the tissue and send them to a pathology lab to confirm the diagnosis. 

Endometriosis tissue in the thoracic cavity can be removed using minimally-invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or robotically in selected cases. Endometriosis can also involve the diaphragm which may need to be repaired minimally invasively. At the Centre for Endometriosis, VATS for thoracic endometriosis is performed by Mr Andrea Bille, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon.  

If you require treatment for both pelvic and thoracic endometriosis, our surgeons can provide a multidisciplinary surgical approach to treat both areas in a single procedure or in staged procedures. Video-assisted laparoscopy (VL) to treat pelvic endometriosis is performed by Mr Shaheen Khazali, Consultant Gynaecologist and Endometriosis Surgeon, and VATS to treat thoracic endometriosis is performed by Mr Andrea Bille, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon.