What is the role of surgery in the treatment of androgen excess?

Updated: Apr 07, 2020
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Surgical removal is the standard therapy for ovarian and adrenal tumors that result in androgen excess. Surgery for PCOS is less commonly performed today, since adhesions routinely occur after both wedge resection and ovarian drilling. However, infertile women with PCOS who are resistant to clomiphene citrate are sometimes treated with laparoscopic ovarian drilling to avoid the risks and expenses associated with ovulation induction with gonadotropins or IVF. [22]

A retrospective study by Christ and Falcone found that in women with PCOS, bariatric surgery significantly reduced androgen levels, leading to a substantial drop in the percentage of women who met the criteria for hyperandrogenism. [84]

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