Endometriosis is cut or vaporised with an electric current or laser. It ranges from a simple, 20-minute operation to complex surgery involving important organs such as the bowel and bladder, writes Martin Healey and Peter Rogers.
The Government will allocate $2.5 million to endometriosis research, as part of the first-ever national plan to address the disease that affects one in 10 women.
A study sparks debate by looking at how men's sexual wellbeing is affected if their partner has endometriosis, but some think by getting men to open up relationships can only be a good thing.