Giacomo Ruffo

Laparoscopic Colorectal Resection for Bowel Endometriosis: Feasibility, Complications, and Clinical Outcome

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal resection for endometriosis. DESIGN AND PATIENTS This study included 357 consecutive patients who underwent colorectal resection. We evaluated intraoperative and postoperative complications, symptom outcomes, and long-term follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Three hundred forty-three patients (96.1%) underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection, and radical endometriosis ablation was in 334 patients (93.6%). RESULTS Fourteen (3.9%) required laparoconversion. Median operating time was 300 (range, 85-720) minutes, with a median estimated blood loss of 250 (range, 50-550) mL. Radical endometriosis ablation was achieved in 334 patients (93.6%). Median ileus was 4 (range, 1-8) days, with a median postoperative hospitalization of 8 (range, 3-36) days. Early and late complications were observed in 44 patients (12.3%) and, in 35 of these (79.5%), surgical management was necessary. Median follow-up after colorectal resection was 19.6 (range, 6-48) months. The median preoperative and postoperative dyspareunia scores were 8 (range, 4-10) and 3 (range, 0-10), respectively (P < .04), and the median preoperative and postoperative gastrointestinal tract symptom scores were 7 (range, 2-10) and 2 (range, 0-10), respectively (P < .05). During follow-up, 24 of 286 recurrences (8.4%) were registered. Patients who previously underwent surgery for endometriosis showed a higher risk of recurrence compared with patients undergoing primary surgery (13.2% vs 3.4%; P < .048). CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic colorectal resection for severe endometriosis is feasible and markedly improved endometriosis-related symptoms. Despite the risk of major postoperative complications, the procedure shows good results in terms of recurrence rate and could be adopted as the primary approach for patients with symptomatic colorectal infiltrating endometriosis.

Laparoscopic colorectal resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis: analysis of 436 cases.

BackgroundComplete removal of all visible lesions is considered the adequate treatment of pelvic endometriosis in order to reduce recurrence. Laparoscopic colorectal resection of bowel endometriosis is still challenging. A large series is reported.MethodsA longitudinal evaluation of surgical and clinical complications of 436 cases of severe endometriosis with colorectal resection was carried out. All procedures were performed laparoscopically in a single center and short-term complications were surveyed.ResultsThe overall complication rate was 8.3% with need for laparoconversion in 3.2%. Sixty patients required blood transfusion (13.7%), and rectovaginal fistulae were the most frequent postoperative complication (3.2%).ConclusionLaparoscopic colorectal resection for endometriosis is a relatively safe procedure in a context of close collaboration between gynecologists and surgeons, although it requires adequate training.

Discoid or segmental rectosigmoid resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis: a case-control study

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of discoid resection for the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis and whether it could be considered to be a valid alternative to the rectosigmoid segmental resection. DESIGN Case-control study. SETTING Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ospedale Sacro Cuore of Negrar, Verona, and Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. PATIENT(S) Women with deep infiltrating and intestinal endometriosis divided into study group (48 patients) and control group (88 patients). INTERVENTION(S) All patients underwent laparoscopic endometriosis excision plus discoid rectosigmoid resection (study group) or segmental resection (control group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Short- and long-term outcomes. RESULT(S) In the study group, median operating time was 200 minutes, with a median estimated blood loss of 203 mL. Median ileus was 3 days with a median postoperative hospitalization of 7 days. Early complications were observed in six patients (12.5%), and in two of them (4.16%) a surgical management was necessary. Median follow-up period was 33 months, and five recurrences (10.4%) were registered. In the control group, no significant differences were noticed except for longer operative time, more temporary ileostomy, postoperative fever, and long-term bladder dysfunctions. CONCLUSION(S) Laparoscopic mechanical discoid resection is feasible, markedly improved endometriosis related symptoms, and could be considered as a worthy alternative to classic segmental resection in selected patients.

Preoperative Double-Contrast Barium Enema in Patients with Suspected Intestinal Endometriosis

STUDY OBJECTIVES To assess the usefulness of double-contrast barium enema (DCBE) in the diagnosis of endometriotic lesions of the bowel and to define its potential value in preoperative decision making for intestinal surgery. DESIGN Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING General hospital with a specialized endometriosis unit. PATIENTS One hundred and eight women with symptoms suggestive of intestinal endometriosis who underwent DCBE before laparoscopic surgery. INTERVENTION Laparoscopic complete excision of endometriosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Fifty-five patients were found to have an entirely normal colon on DCBE studies. Twenty-eight of these were found to have adhesions of the bowel at laparoscopy. Radiographic abnormalities suggestive of endometriosis were detected in 53 patients; 20 of these underwent laparoscopic bowel segmental resection, 10 laparoscopic full-thickness disc excision, 4 laparoscopic mucosal skinning, and 4 total laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomies. Fourteen patients refused intestinal surgery. One patient had no endometriosis but severe adhesions. In all cases but one, the radiographic findings on DCBE were confirmed by surgery and with histopathologic examination of the resected specimens (accuracy 99%). In these same cases, the preoperative choice of intestinal surgery remained unchanged during the procedure. CONCLUSION Our data show that, in expert hands, DCBE correlated with a patients clinical history and clinical findings is capable of diagnosing bowel wall involvement due to endometriosis, which could require intestinal surgery. This allows for proper preoperative planning of surgical procedures and a thorough informed consent.

Laparoscopic conservative surgery for stage IV symptomatic endometriosis: short-term surgical complications

OBJECTIVE To study severe endometriosis as a cause of pelvic pain, which represents one of the most challenging disorders in gynecology. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Teaching hospital. PATIENT(S) A total of 1,363 women with severe endometriosis (revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine [rASRM] stage IV). INTERVENTIONS A detailed survey of all patients with severe endometriosis (rASRM stage IV) who underwent laparoscopy at our center between January 2004 and December 2007 was carried out. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Clinical and surgical data were retrieved and assessed according to the extent of surgery performed. Intraoperative, ultra-short, and short-term clinical complications were assessed. RESULTS A total of 1,201 women underwent laparoscopic radical surgery with excision of all visible endometriotic lesions, with a significant improvement of symptoms at 1-month follow-up evaluation. The overall intraoperative complication rate was 2.0%. The morbidity was significantly increased when bowel surgery was performed, with a risk of intraoperative complications that was threefold higher. Of the patients who had bowel surgery, 18 (4.1%) required reintervention within the first week after surgery. CONCLUSION(S) We report on the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic eradication of all visible implants in cases of rASRM stage IV endometriosis when surgery is performed in a referral center.

Laparoscopic nerve-sparing transperitoneal approach for endometriosis infiltrating the pelvic wall and somatic nerves: anatomical considerations and surgical technique

PurposeEndometriotic or fibrotic involvement of sacral plexus and pudendal and sciatic nerves may be quite frequently the endopelvic cause of ano-genital and pelvic pain. Feasibility of a laparoscopic transperitoneal approach to the somatic nerves of the pelvis was determined and showed by Possover et al. for diagnosis and treatment of ano-genital pain caused by pudendal and/or sacral nerve roots lesions and adopted at our institution. In this paper we report our experience and anatomo-surgical consideration regarding this technique.MethodsConfidence with this technique was obtained after several laparoscopic and laparotomic dissections on fresh, embalmed and formalin-fixed female cadavers and is now routinely performed at our institution in all cases of extensive endometriosis of the pelvic wall, involving the somatic nerves.ResultsWe describe two different laparoscopic transperitoneal approaches to the lateral pelvic wall in case of: (A) deep pelvic endometriosis with rectal and/or parametrial involvement extending to pelvic wall and somatic nerves; (B) isolated endometriosis of pelvic wall and somatic nerves.ConclusionsLaparoscopic transperitoneal retroperitoneal nerve-sparing approach to the pelvic wall proved to be a feasible and useful procedure even if limited to referred laparoscopic centers and anatomically experienced and skilled surgeons.

Long-Term Outcome after Laparoscopic Bowel Resections for Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis: A Single-Center Experience after 900 Cases

Background. Laparoscopic bowel resections for endometriosis are safe and effective but only short-term follow-up has been evaluated. In the present study long-term outcome in terms of intestinal and urinary function, fertility, chronic pain, and recurrence was assessed. Materials and Methods. From January 2002 to December 2010 nine hundred patients underwent laparoscopic bowel resection for endometriosis, and on 774 (86%) a questionnaire was administered. Patients were divided into 3 groups on the strength of the operation date. Postoperative diarrhea, constipation, rectal bleeding, tenesmus, dyschezia, dysuria, dyspareunia, fertility, and recurrence of disease were assessed. Results. The median follow-up was 54 months (range 1–120). All the evaluated symptoms significantly improved over time, with P = 0.0001 for dyspareunia, constipation, and pelvic pain and P = 0.004 for diarrhea. Nonsignificant improvement was reported for dysuria and rectal bleeding (with P = 0.452 and P = 0.097, resp.). Conclusions. The present results confirm that bowel resections for endometriosis are correlated with an acceptable complication rate even at long-term follow-up and that symptoms significantly improve over time, except for rectal bleeding and dysuria, the latter associated with a neurological damage.

Laparoscopic Disk Resection for Bowel Endometriosis Using a Circular Stapler and a New Endoscopic Method to Control Postoperative Bleeding from the Stapler Line

BACKGROUND Complete laparoscopic excision of endometriosis offers good longterm symptomatic relief, especially for those with severe or debilitating symptoms. Intestinal endometriosis affect between 3% and 36% of women with endometriosis and 50% of women with disease severe enough that intestinal surgery, with or without intestinal segmental resection, may be required. STUDY DESIGN Between January 2003 and September 2006, we performed 35 laparoscopic complete excisions of endometriosis with full thickness disk resections of bowel endometriosis using the CEEA stapler (US Surgical) inserted transanally. RESULTS The endometriotic nodule of the bowel was completely removed in all patients. No major or minor surgical complications occurred during the primary surgical procedure. One patient underwent a diverting temporary ileostomy because of air loss after insufflation of the rectosigmoid colon, which was closed successfully 1 month after surgery. In three of seven cases of rectal bleeding from the stapler line, for the first time, we successfully used conservative endoscopic management. CONCLUSIONS In properly selected patients, full thickness disk excision using a circular stapler is a feasible procedure that avoids the potential morbidities of a low anastomosis. We suggest conservative management by endoscopic hemostasis before referring patients for a new operation in cases of rectal bleeding from the anastomotic site.

Colorectal endometriosis: benefits of long-term follow-up in patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery.

In this retrospective cohort study, three groups of patients were included: 60 women who underwent endometriosis surgery with colorectal segmental resection, 40 women with surgical evidence of bowel endometriosis who underwent endometriosis removal without bowel resection, and 55 women affected by moderate or severe endometriosis with at least one endometrioma and deep infiltrating endometriosis but without bowel involvement. The results of a long-term ambulatory follow-up showed that if colorectal endometriosis was present, postoperative pain regression was more frequent, and among patients with bowel endometriosis the rate of recurrence was lower if segmental resection was performed.

Active Surveillance Beyond 5 Years Is Required for Presumed Branch-Duct Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms Undergoing Non-Operative Management

Objectives:To evaluate the results of active surveillance beyond 5 years in patients with branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (BD-IPMNs) without worrisome features (WF) and high-risk stigmata (HRS) undergoing non-operative management.Methods:Patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 years who underwent surveillance with at least yearly magnetic resonance imaging were included. New onset of and predictors of WF/HRS during follow-up as well as long-term survival were analyzed.Results:In all, 144 patients were followed for a median of 84 months. At diagnosis multifocal BD-IPMNs were found in 53% of cases and mean size of the largest cyst was 15.5 mm. Changes during follow-up were observed in 69 patients (48%). New onset of WF/HRS were observed in 26 patients (18%) but the rate of HRS was only 4%. WF and HRS developed after a median follow-up of 71 and 77.5 months from diagnosis, respectively, and without previous changes in 19/26 patients. Independent predictors of WF/HRS development were size at diagnosis>15 mm, increase in number of lesions, main pancreatic duct growth rate ≥0.2 mm/year, cyst growth rate >1 mm/year. Overall, the rate of pancreatic invasive malignancy was 2% and the 12-year disease-specific survival was 98.6%.Conclusions:Long-term nonoperative management is safe for BD-IPMNs without WF and HRS. Discontinuation of surveillance cannot be recommended since one out of six patients developed WF/HRS far beyond 5 years of surveillance and without previous relevant modifications. An intensification of follow-up should be considered after 5 years.