Open AccessLong‐term evaluation of painful symptoms and fertility after surgery for large rectovaginal endometriosis nodule: a retrospective study
Author(s) -
Bourdel Nicolas,
Comptour Aurélie,
Bouchet Paméla,
Gremeau AnneSophie,
Pouly JeanLuc,
Slim Karem,
Pereira Bruno,
Canis Michel
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/aogs.13260
Subject(s) - medicine , endometriosis , surgery , rectum , pelvic pain , retrospective cohort study , colorectal surgery , fertility , young adult , quality of life (healthcare) , gynecology , population , abdominal surgery , environmental health , nursing
Optimal surgical treatment of rectovaginal endometriosis remains a controversial topic. The objective of this study was to evaluate long‐term postoperative outcomes after rectal shaving or colorectal resection for rectovaginal endometriosis. Material and methods 195 patients underwent surgery (172 managed by shaving, 23 by colorectal resection) between January 2000 and June 2013 for rectovaginal endometriosis (>2 cm) involving at least the serosa of the rectum. Primary outcome measures were pain and fertility. Secondary outcome measures were complications, recurrence rates and quality of life. Results Mean follow‐up was 60 ± 42 months in the shaving group and 67 ± 47 months in the resection group. The mean VAS score for pelvic pain between the pre and postoperative period decreased from 5.5 ± 3.5 (shaving group) and 7.3 ± 2.9 (resection group) to 2.3 ± 2.4 ( p < 0.001) and 2.0 ± 1.8 ( p < 0.001), respectively. For dysmenorrhea, the mean baseline VAS score fell postoperatively from 7.7 ± 2.8 (shaving group) and 8.2 ± 2.6 (resection group) to 3.3 ± 2.9 ( p < 0.001) and 2.7 ± 2.7 ( p < 0.001), respectively. Pregnancy rates were 73% for shaving and 69% for resection. Major complications occurred in 4% of patients in the shaving group and in 26% in the resection group ( p = 0.001). Thirteen patients (7.6%) from the shaving group and none from the resection group were reoperated for suspicion of endometriosis recurrence ( p = 0.37). Postoperative quality of life scores revealed no differences between the two groups. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that rectal shaving, when feasible for rectovaginal nodule (>2 cm) infiltrating the digestive serosa, has equal impact on pain and pregnancy rates compared with colorectal resection at long‐term follow‐up, with low complication and favorable pregnancy rates.