Surgical treatment of symptomatic rectosigmoid endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the results of surgical treatment of symptomatic intestinal endometriosis.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
University hospital, The Netherlands.


METHODS
14 patients in whom medical treatment had failed.


METHODS
Hysterectomy (n = 5), salpingo-oophorectomy (n = 8, bilateral in 5), posterior vaginal wall excision (n = 14), and partial resection (n = 6) or anterior wedge excision (n = 8) of the rectum.


METHODS
Blood loss, operating time, morbidity, and relief of symptoms.


RESULTS
9 patients became symptom free (64%), 5 of whom developed postmenopausal symptoms later on. 2 had unrelated vague abdominal symptoms and 3 more could not be assessed because they underwent in vitro fertilisation and developed stimulation-related abdominal symptoms. All were content with the operative results.


CONCLUSIONS
Operations for rectosigmoid endometriosis are technically difficult with a long operating time and considerable blood loss, but they are successful in relieving symptoms when conservative treatment has failed.
Tran
K T
KT
Department of Surgery, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Kuijpers
H C
HC
Willemsen
W N
WN
Bulten
H
H
D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D010052:Ovariectomy; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012489:Salpingostomy; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome