Résection rectale segmentaire et shaving rectal laparoscopiques pour endométriose : morbidité péri-opératoire

[Performance of an Ultrasound Based Endometriosis Staging System (UBESS) for predicting rectal involvement and type of surgical procedure in patients with digestive endometriosis]

OBJECTIVE

Preoperative assessment of rectal damage in digestive endometriosis requires rectal endoscopic ultra-sonography an invasive exam that is not well received by the patients. A standardized approach using an Ultrasound-Based Endometriosis Staging System (UBESS)could be an interesting tool in this indication. This article aims to evaluate the performance of UBESS in the prediction of rectal involvement and the type of surgical procedure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This monocentric retrospective study was conducted on patients with rectal endometriosis who underwent a curative surgical procedure, evaluated by UBESS ultrasound between January 2016 and December 2019 at the Poissy referral centre. The main analysis of the study was to assess the adequacy of the UBESS ultrasound stage, the presence of rectal involvement during surgery and the surgical technique required. The secondary objective was to determine the correlation between UBESS stages and RCOG levels of surgical difficulty.

RESULTS

A total of one hundred and twenty-two patients were included and one hundred were analysed. Of these, thirty-nine had rectal involvement. There was a statistically significant association between the UBESS stage and the presence of a digestive lesion(P<0.0001). The ultrasound's parameters of thickness(P=0.0007), width(P=0.0082) and volume(P=0.0013) of the digestive lesion were significantly correlated with the extent of the surgical procedure. The correlation between the UBESS and RCOG classifications was very weak.

CONCLUSION

UBESS is a powerful diagnostic tool for digestive damage allowing to give clear information to patients before surgery and optimizing the management plan of the surgery.

Conservative vs radical bowel surgery for endometriosis: A systematic analysis of complications

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis of the bowel can be associated with significant morbidity. Surgery to remove it carries risks. Options include conservative shaving or discoid resection and more radical segmental bowel resection.

AIMS

To determine if more conservative shaving or discoid bowel resection is associated with fewer risks than more radical segmental resection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study is a systematic review. We considered eligible any cohort, observational or randomised controlled trial (RCT) study of at least ten women per arm comparing conservative vs radical bowel surgery for endometriosis. We divided complications into two groups, major and minor. One additional article was added due to its significance in answering our study question as well as the high quality of the study design as an RCT.

RESULTS

There were 3041 studies screened. Eleven studies were included (n = 1648). For major complications, the risk ratio for shaving and disc excision vs segmental resection is 0.31 (95% CI 0.21-0.46), while the risk difference is -0.25 (95% CI -0.41 to 0.10). For minor complications, the risk ratio is 0.63 (95% CI 0.36-1.09), while the risk difference is -0.03 (95% CI -0.12 to 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative shaving or discoid excision surgery is associated with reduced complications. Previous studies demonstrated a trend toward this finding, but suffered from relatively low participant numbers, increasing the risk of type one statistical error. Our results allow surgeons to make informed choices about potential complications when deciding how to approach bowel endometriosis. The results also allow patients to have more information about the risks. However, outcomes in the studies analysed are heterogenous and are from low-quality evidence.

Preoperative rectosigmoid endoscopic ultrasonography predicts the need for bowel resection in endometriosis

BACKGROUND

Rectosigmoid endometriosis is an underdiagnosed disease responsible for abdominal pain, transit disorders and rectal bleeding. Two surgical approaches, rectosigmoid bowel resection (segmental or patch) or intramuscular layer dissection (shaving), are available.

AIM

To assess whether the lesion features observed via preoperative rectosigmoid endoscopic ultrasonography (RS-EUS) might predict the need for bowel resection.

METHODS

This multicentric retrospective study was conducted on patients with rectosigmoid endometriosis who underwent a curative surgical procedure, evaluated by RS-EUS performed by two trained operators, between January 2012 and March 2018. A univariate statistical analysis was performed on nodules’ RS-EUS features (thickness, width, infiltration of the submucosae, presence of a bump into the digestive lumen and presence of multiple rectosigmoid localizations). A multivariate logistic regression was then performed on the significant results.

RESULTS

Of the 367 patients, 73 patients with rectosigmoid endometriosis were evaluated by RS-EUS and underwent rectosigmoid surgery. After the univariate analysis was completed, thickness, width and infiltration of the submucosae were identified as potential predictive factors for bowel resection. In a multivariate logistic regression model, only thickness appeared to be a significant [odds ratio (OR) = 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-2.12, P = 0.028] predictive factor for bowel resection. Receiver operating characteristic analysis performed showed that a thickness over 5.20 mm might be used as cut-off with a sensitivity of 76%, a specificity of 81%, and an area under carve = 0.82. The cut-off values for 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity were 0.90 mm and 10.00 mm, respectively. A trend concerning width to predict the need for resection was also observed (OR 1.12, 95%CI: 1.00-1.26, P = 0.054)

CONCLUSION

The presence of a rectosigmoid nodule of endometriosis greater than 5.20 mm thick on RS-EUS might predict the need for bowel resection.

Fluorescence of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis During Laparoscopic Surgery: A Preliminary Report on 6 Cases

BACKGROUND

The standard treatment of rectovaginal deep infiltrating endometriosis nodules (RVDIEN) consists in their surgical removal. RVDIEN are anatomically neovascularized. Indocyanine green (ICG) reveals vascularized structures when becoming fluorescent after exposure to near-infrared (NIR) light. This study aims to evaluate if fluorescence-guided surgery can improve the laparoscopic resection of RVDIEN, thus avoiding a rectal perforation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with a symptomatic RVDIEN, scheduled for a laparoscopic rectal shaving, were enrolled in the study. Technically, the RVDIEN was targeted and removed with the help of the NIR imager device Image 1 Spies (Karl Storz GmBH & Co KG, Tuttlingen, Germany) or Visera Elite II (Olympus Europe SE & Co KG, Hamburg, Germany), after an intraoperative, intravenous injection of ICG (0.25 mg/kg).

RESULTS

Six patients underwent a fluorescence-guided laparoscopic shaving procedure for the treatment of a nonobstructive RVDIEN. Fluorescence of the RVDIEN was observed in all the patients. In one patient, once the main lesion was removed, the posterior vaginal fornix still appeared fluorescent and was removed. No intraoperative rectal perforation occurred. The postoperative hospital stay was 2 days. No postoperative rectovaginal fistula occurred within a median follow-up of 16 months (range = 2-23 months).

CONCLUSION

In this preliminary study, fluorescence-guided laparoscopy appeared to help in separating the RVDIEN from the healthy rectal tissue, without rectal perforation. Moreover, this technique was helpful in deciding if the resection needed to be enlarged to the posterior vaginal fornix.

Use of indocyanine green in endometriosis surgery

OBJECTIVE

To report and visually demonstrate the feasibility of using indocyanine green (ICG) in endometriosis surgery and to discuss potential benefits.

DESIGN

ICG fluorescent imaging has been validated to assess tissue perfusion with clinical use in many medical fields, including gynecology and digestive surgery, but has not described in endometriosis surgery for bowel assessment. To our knowledge, there is no validated, objective, intraoperative method to assess the vascularity of the operated bowel in endometriosis surgery, a potentially good indicator for postoperative fistula formation. Our center is conducting a registered clinical trial examining the use of ICG to evaluate the bowel vascularization after endometriosis rectal shaving surgery, and the potential role in reducing fistula rates (Institutional Review Board no 2016-002773-35).

SETTING

Tertiary university hospital.

PATIENT(S)

Three patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) with the use of a rectal shaving procedure.

INTERVENTIONS(S)

Patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for DIE with a rectal shaving procedure were injected with ICG intravenously at the end of endometriosis resection.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Visual assessment of the rectal shaving area was assessed as fluoresced or not with the use of a Likert-type scale (0 = no fluorescence; 4 = very good fluorescence).

RESULT(S)

After ICG injection, all three patients have showed very good fluorescence levels at the rectal shaving area with no adverse reactions. Other uses of ICG are demonstrated throughout the video (vaginal cuff, ureter, and ovary assessment).

CONCLUSION(S)

ICG fluorescent imaging is feasible in endometriosis surgery, and there is an ongoing trial to determine if its use reduces postoperative fistula formation.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03080558.

Surgical Therapy of Endometriosis: Challenges and Controversies

Endometriosis is one of the most common disorders encountered in surgical gynaecology. The laparoscopic technique, the planning of the surgical intervention, the extent of information provided to patients and the interdisciplinary coordination make it a challenging intervention. Complete resection of all visible foci of disease offers the best control of symptoms. However, the possibility of achieving this goal is limited by the difficulty of detecting all foci and the risks associated with radical surgical strategies. Thus, the excision of ovarian endometrioma can result in a significant impairment of ovarian function, while damage to nerve structures during resection of the uterosacral ligaments, the parametrium, the rectovaginal septum or the vaginal cuff to treat deep infiltrating endometriosis can lead to serious functional impairments such as voiding disorders. A detailed risk-benefit analysis is therefore necessary, and patients must be treated using an individual approach.