title: Lymph Node Involvement in Deep Infiltrating Intestinal Endometriosis: Does It Really Mean Anything?
abstract: To review our data for any correlation between the severity of endometriosis and lymph node involvement.
  
  
  
  Observational study with control (Canadian Task Force classification III).
  
  
  
  Public medical center.
  
  
  
  All women who underwent laparoscopic segmental rectal resection for endometriosis at our institution (Sacro Cuore Negrar Hospital) between 2000 and 2010.
  
  
  
  We retrospectively included 140 cases of colorectal surgery for intestinal endometriosis performed between 2004 and 2010 in our institution. Based on histopathological analysis of specimens, we divided our population into 2 groups: 70 patients with lymph node involvement and 70 patients without lymph node involvement.
  
  
  
  No statistical correlation was found between the positivity of lymph nodes and the rate of intestinal stenosis, the histopathological specimen infiltration rate and depth and the intestinal recurrence rate. Only a poor correlation was found with preoperative CA-125 serous levels.
  
  
  
  The presence of lymph nodes involvement in intestinal resection specimens does not modify the natural history of the disease. The reason of its presence still has to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy. Electronic address: roberto.rossini@sacrocuore.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monsellato
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertolaccini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pesci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zamboni
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceccaroni
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Sacro Cuore Hospital, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruffo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bowel endometriosis; Laparoscopy; Lymph nodes; Rectal resection