Rectal Shaving for Bowel Endometriosis by Laparoscopic Reverse Submucosal Dissection for Easier, Safer and More Complete Excision of Disease

Treatment of rectosigmoid endometriosis by laparoscopic reverse submucosal dissection (LRSD): The Sydney partial thickness discoid excision technique

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic reverse submucosal dissection (LRSD) is a standardised surgical technique for removal of rectosigmoid endometriosis which optimises the anatomical dissection plane for excision of endometriotic nodules.

AIM

This cohort study assesses the outcomes of the first cohort of women treated by LRSD, for deeply infiltrating rectosigmoid endometriosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Primary outcomes assessed were complication rate as defined by the Clavien-Dindo system, and completion of the planned LRSD. Secondary outcomes include mucosal breach, specimen margin involvement, length of hospital admission, and a comparison of pre-operative and post-operative pain, bowel function and quality of life surveys. These included the Endometriosis Health Profile Questionnaire (EHP-30), the Knowles-Eccersley-Scott Symptom Questionnaire (KESS) and the Wexner scale.

RESULTS

Of 19 patients treated, one required a segmental resection. The median length of hospital admission was two days (range 1-5) and no post-operative complications occurred. Median pain visual analogue scales (scale 0-10) were higher prior to surgery (dysmenorrhoea 9.0, dyspareunia 7.5, dyschezia 9.0, pelvic pain 6.0) compared to post-surgical median scores (dysmenorrhoea 5.0, dyspareunia 4.0, dyschezia 2.0, pelvic pain 4.0) at a median of six months (range 4-32). Quality of life studies suggested improvement following surgery with pre-operative median EHP-30 and KESS scores (EHP-30: 85 (5-106), KESS score 9 (0-20)) higher than post-operative scores (EHP-30: 48.5 (0-80), KESS score: 3 (0-19)).

CONCLUSION

This series highlights the feasibility of LRSD with low associated morbidity as a progression of partial thickness discoid excision (rectal shaving) for the treatment of rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis.

Outcomes of discoid excision and segmental resection for colorectal endometriosis: robotic versus conventional laparoscopy

Surgery for deep endometriosis with colorectal involvement is an option after medical treatment failure. Over the past decade, robotic laparoscopy has emerged as an alternative to conventional laparoscopy. We aimed to evaluate surgical outcomes of robotic versus conventional laparoscopy for discoid excision and segmental resection. From 2019 to 2023, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 152 consecutive patients with colorectal endometriosis who underwent robotic or conventional laparoscopy for discoid excision and colorectal resection. Ninety of the patients 152 underwent robotic surgery and 62 conventional laparoscopy. The mean total surgical room occupancy and operating times were longer in the robotic group: 270 ± 81 min vs 240 ± 79 min, p = 0.010, and 216 ± 78 min vs 190 ± 76, p = 0.027, respectively. The mean intraoperative blood loss, and the incidence of intra- and postoperative complications (according to Clavien-Dindo classification) were similar in the two groups. The mean hospital stay was greater after conventional laparoscopy (8 ± 5 vs 7 ± 4 days; p = 0.03), and the rate of persistent voiding dysfunction was higher in the conventional group (9/11, 25% vs 2/11, 5%; p = 0.01). A higher incidence of persistent voiding dysfunction was also observed after segmental resection by conventional laparoscopy (25% vs 4.8%, p = 0.01). Our results support the use of robotic surgery as an alternative to conventional laparoscopy for discoid excision and segmental resection for colorectal endometriosis.