Laparoscopic natural orifice specimen extraction colectomy versus conventional laparoscopic colorectal resection in patients with rectal endometriosis: a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The conventional laparoscopic approach for the surgical management of deep endometriosis (DE) infiltrating the rectum appears to ensure improved digestive functional outcomes. The natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) technique for the treatment of colorectal DE can significantly accelerate postoperative recovery; however, data on gastrointestinal function following conventional laparoscopic segmental bowel resection (CLR) compared with NOSE colectomy (NC) for DE are sparse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 30 September 2019 and 31 December 2020, a randomized, open-label, two-arm, parallel-group controlled trial with women aged 18-45 years was conducted at University Hospital.Ninety-nine patients were randomized to CLR or NC, with DE infiltrating at least the muscular layer, at least 50% of the circumference of the bowel, up to 15 cm from the anal verge, exhibiting pain and bowel symptoms and/or infertility. The primary endpoint was bowel function, represented by low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). Secondary parameters included the Endometriosis Health Profile 30 (EHP30), Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores preoperatively and at set times (1 and 6 months, 1 year) following surgery. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in the postoperative LARS scores, VAS, EHP30, and GIQLI between the NC and CLR groups. LARS scores did not reveal significant differences 12 months postoperatively compared to the preoperative values in both groups (CLR group P =0.93 versus NC group, P =0.87). GIQLI scores were significantly improved 12 months after the operation compared with baseline values in the CLR group ( P =0.002) and NC group ( P =0.001). Pain symptoms and quality of life scores significantly improved 12 months postoperatively in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: NC is a feasible surgical approach for treating patients with rectal DE. Our study did not show a statistically significant difference between CLR and NC techniques in mid-term digestive and pain outcomes.

[Laparoscopic treatment of deeply infiltrating colorectal endometriosis - ten years of single center experience]. / Mélyen infiltráló colorectalis endometriosis laparoszkópos kezelésével szerzett tízéves tapasztalataink.

INTRODUCTION: Deep infiltrating endometriosis penetrates the peritoneal surface beneath 5 mm. The bowel is affected in 3-37% of the cases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the authors was to analyze the results of the surgical procedures performed for bowel endometriosis. METHOD: Between 2009 and 2020, 675 patients underwent bowel endometriosis surgery at the Department of Obstetrics and Gyanecology of Semmelweis University. Four surgical approaches were performed: shaving, discoid, segmental and NOSE resection. RESULTS: 182 shaving, 93 discoid, 130 NOSE and 270 segmental bowel resections were performed. Ultra-deep anastomosis was performed in 40 cases. The median operative time was 85 minutes, the shortest intervention lasted 25 minutes, the longest 585 minutes. The average operating time was 260 (± 161.3) minutes for the first, and 114 (± 47.0) minutes for the last ten operations. The average blood loss was 10 (± 20.3) mL. The average hospital stay was 6 (± 2.3) days. Serious surgical complication (Clavien-Dindo III or more severe) developed in 18 cases. In a total of 17 cases sigmoideo- or ileostomy were used. Conversion to laparotomy was necessary in 6 cases. DISCUSSION: The same team performed all the interventions, which can show the effectiveness of the surgical techniques instead of the technique of individual surgeons. The complication rate is low in the case of an experienced surgical team, and the operating time decreases significantly in proportion to the number of operations performed. CONCLUSION: Bowel endometriosis can be treated safely and effectively with both conservative (shaving or discoid) and radical (segmental or NOSE resection) approach. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(9): 348-354.

Gamma-Synuclein Levels Are Elevated in Peritoneal Fluid of Patients with Endometriosis.

BACKGROUND The role of gamma-synuclein (SNCG) has been widely examined in malignant conditions due to its possible role in disease progression, but very little information is available on its theoretical function on endometriosis formation. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between January 2016 and December 2016, we collected peritoneal fluid and plasma samples from 45 consecutive female patients, of which 15 were without endometriosis, 15 had minimal to mild endometriosis, and 15 had moderate to severe endometriosis. The statistical power was 0.98. We evaluated SNCG levels in the peritoneal fluid and plasma of patients diagnosed with endometriosis, and we compared them with the levels obtained from disease-free control subjects by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS SNCG levels were statistically significantly (1.2-fold) higher in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis compared to controls (p=0.04). We did not find a significant difference between SNCG levels in the plasma of our endometriosis patients and the control group (p=0.086). However, despite previous data showing very limited expression of SNCG in healthy tissues, we found SNCG in the peritoneal fluid of all of the patients in our healthy control group. CONCLUSIONS Levels of SNCG were statistically significantly higher in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis compared to disease-free controls, which may indicate its possible role the formation and progression of the disease. Moreover, its biological function should be further investigated due to the conflicting results concerning its expression in healthy tissues.

[The effect of surgical treatment of bowel endometriosis on fertility]. / A bélendometriosis miatt végzett mutétek hatása a fertilitásra.

Introduction: Bowel endometriosis is when endometrial-like tissue penetrates the bowel serosa, or it reaches the subserous neurovascular plexus. The effect of surgery for colorectal endometriosis on infertility and pregnancy is not fully proven. Aim: The aim of the present study was to analyse the pregnancy outcome and mode of delivery of patients who underwent 'nerve sparing' anterior resection of the colon. Method: Between 2009 and 2017, we operated 121 patients with bowel endometriosis, and built up a prospective database where we assessed their wish of pregnancy, the way of the conception, pathologies during pregnancy and mode of delivery. Statistical analysis: The relationship between endometriosis and pregnancy pathologies was tested by a χ2 probe and Fisher's exact test, additionally the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined. For p<0.05, the result was considered significant. Results: Out of 121 bowel endometriosis patients, 48 (39.6%) women got pregnant, 37 (30.5%) of them with in vitro fertilisation. The control group was built from patients who underwent in vitro fertilisation because of andrological factors. We found that women with endometriosis have a significantly higher risk for praeeclampsia (p = 0.023) and placenta praevia (p = 0.045) during pregnancy. Conclusions: Our study is a unique description of pregnancy outcome and mode of delivery after surgery for bowel endometriosis, which, despite the small number of cases, has yielded similar results to the previous multicentric studies. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(41): 1633-1638.

Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction during Laparoscopic Bowel Resection for Colorectal Endometriosis: Technique and Outcome.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To present a detailed description of a modified natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) colectomy technique. We also report the postoperative outcomes of our prospective case series when compared with conventional laparoscopic bowel resection in a relatively large series of patients. DESIGN: Canadian Task Force classification II-1. SETTING: A university tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: The last 90 consecutive patients in our care with deep infiltrating endometriosis of the bowel are presented in this study. Patients were diagnosed at the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. INTERVENTIONS: We performed laparoscopic bowel resection using the transrectal NOSE technique and compared the results of the new operative method (n = 30) with traditional laparoscopic bowel resection (n = 60). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The median duration of surgery was 121 minutes in the control group and 96 minutes in the NOSE group (p = .005). According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, we observed a severe, grade IIIb or higher, overall complication rate of 3.3% among all 90 patients. In the control group, anastomosis insufficiency occurred in 3.3% of patients (2/60 cases), and in 1 patient with anastomotic leakage a rectovaginal fistula was observed (1.7%). There was no significant difference in the rates of severe postoperative complications (p = .55). The length of hospital stay in the control group was a median of 7 days (range, 5-13 days), whereas in the NOSE group it was 6 days (range, 3-11 days) (p < .001). CONCLUSION: According to our findings, the use of NOSE colectomy offers a shorter recovery time and can eventually lead to a shorter surgery duration compared with traditional laparoscopic bowel resection.

[Prospective study to determine the diagnostic sensitivity of sigmoidoscopy in bowel endometriosis]. / Prospektív vizsgálat a sigmoideoscopia diagnosztikai érzékenységének meghatározására vastagbelet infiltráló endometriosisban.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: In the treatment of colorectal endometriosis a multidisciplinary laparoscopic resection is suggested, for this reason the correct selection of bowel infiltration is essential before surgery. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between 2009 and 2015, 383 sigmoidoscopies were performed in patients with endometriosis. Where mucosal invasion was absent secondary signs (wall rigidity, impression, kinking, pain during the examination, suffusion) were analysed. In endoscopically confirmed cases multidisciplinary surgery was performed, the remaining patients were operated by a gynecologic team only. RESULTS: Endometriosis was endoscopically confirmed in 224 patients (58.49%), 108 of them underwent multidisciplinary operation, the negative 135 cases received gynaecological surgery. Bowel endometriosis was confirmed in 103 out of 108 cases intraoperatively, while in 8 cases of the sigmoidoscopically negative patients bowel infiltration was diagnosed intraoperatively by the gynaecological team. Complete sigmoidoscopy was performed in 43.47% of the cases. Intraluminal endometriosis was found in 4.91%, secondary signs as rigidity in 38.39%, impression in 45.54%, kinking in 57.14%, pain (in cases of examination without narcosis) in 26.06% and suffusion in 3.82% of the cases was found during sigmoidoscopy. Sigmoidoscopic examination has a 92.8% specificity and 96.2% sensitivity in cases of bowel endometriosis. CONCLUSION: Sigmoidoscopy performed by an experienced gastroenterologist is a highly sensitive examination for the diagnosis of bowel endometriosis. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(7), 264-269.

[Bowel endometriosis: new challenge for gastroenterology and surgery? Three cases of endometriosis caused large bowel ileus and review of the literature]. / Belet infiltráló endometriosis: a gasztroenterológia és a sebészet új kihívása? Vastagbélileust okozó endometriosis három esete és irodalmi áttekintés.

INTRODUCTION: A number of the patients suffer from endometriosis increased in the past decades and the cases have became more serious. The most critical complication of bowel endometriosis is the large bowel obstruction. Up to recently, 16 similar case reports of large bowel endomteriosis causing obstruction, with detailed medical history have been published in the literature in English language. PATIENTS: Since 2007 535 female have been treated in the 1st Gynaecological Department with endometriosis, out of them three patients from emergency surgery in the history because of large bowel obstruction. RESULTS: Symptoms suggesting endometriosis or previous intervention due to endometriosis were detected in 59% (13/21) of the cases. Preoperative ultrasound, computertomography, magnetic resonance imaging did not give correct diagnosis. Colonoscopy was carried out before the primary operation in 61% (13/21) and after the surgery in 24% (5/21) of the cases, but none of them confirmed endometriosis. Although all the patients developed obstruction, only in 5% (1/19) of the patients was the mucosa infiltrated by the endometriosis. CONCLUSIONS: In a young female patient, intestinal obstruction can be caused by bowel endometriosis. Identification of colonoscopic signs (rigidity, impression, kinking) of endometriosis may help to avoid unnecessary extension of intestinal resection. Gynaecologists should take part in the operations. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(49), 1960-1966.

[Technical questions of the transrectal specimen extraction]. / A transrectalis specimeneltávolítás sebésztechnikai kérdései.

INTRODUCTION: During laparoscopic partial colectomy the specimen can be extracted transrectally. This technique decreases the invasiveness of the surgery, because the abdominal wall incision is avoided. Premises of a new surgical technique are precise technical description as well as a favourable balance of advantages and disadvantages. In this paper the authors review the technique they apply and analyse their first results. PATIENTS AND METHOD: 45 laparoscopic bowel resections were performed by a multidisciplinary team between 16th April 2014 and 1st November 2015. Indication of surgery was endometriosis, and the specimen was extracted transrectally in 11 patients. Having ligated both bowel ends proximal and distal to the section infiltrated with endometriosis, and the proximal bowel secured with a laparoscopic bulldog. Then the bowel was resected and the specimen was extracted in a camera bag transrectally. A purse-string suture was placed into the proximal bowel end, and the anvil of the circular stapler--which was introduced transrectally--was inserted into the bowel. After closing the rectal stump, the anastomosis was performed with a circular stapler. We used this technique when the upper third of the rectum or sigmoid colon was infiltrated with endometriosis. RESULTS: The difference between the operation time of the two techniques (transabdominal vs. transrectal specimen extraction: 108 min vs. 118 min) was not significant. There was not difference in the WBC count between the first and second postoperative day, and there was not any anastomosis leakage detected either. CONCLUSION: By using the above technique, postoperative infections could have been reduced to minimum. Transrectal specimen extraction did not increase postoperative complication The authors believe this is a safe way of specimen extraction after partial colectomy.

[Importance of nerve-sparing surgical technique in the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis]. / Az idegkímélo mutéti technika jelentosége a mélyen infiltráló endometriosis sebészetében.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional surgeries performed in cases of deep infiltrating endometriosis lead to impaired quality of life. AIM: To summarize the postoperative outcome and to compare the rate of postoperative complications after different therapeutic approaches applied in deep infiltrating endometriosis. METHOD: The authors analized the articles published between March 31, 2004 and March 31, 2015, in the database http://www.pubmed.org using the following keywords: endometriosis, deep infiltrating, nerve sparing, surgery. RESULTS: Non-nerve sparing surgery resulted in temporary urinary dysfunction in 19.1-38.5% of patients, while it occurred in 0.61-33.3% of patients after nerve-sparing surgery. Non-nerve sparing surgical technique resulted in an average of 121 days of need for self-catheretisation. When nerve-sparing surgeries were performed the duration of self-catheterisation varied between 7 to 39.8 days. After nerve sparing surgeries, permanent bladder dysfunction was not detected in any case. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the successful treatment of the patients symptoms and the lower postoperative complication rate, nerve-sparing surgical technique leads to a significant improvement of the quality of life.

Lower-limb veins are thicker and vascular reactivity is decreased in a rat PCOS model: concomitant vitamin D3 treatment partially prevents these changes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) causes vascular damage to arteries; however, there are no data for its effect on veins. Our aim was to clarify the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced PCOS both on venous biomechanics and on pharmacological reactivity in a rat model and to test the possible modulatory role of vitamin D3 (vitD). PCOS was induced in female Wistar rats by DHT treatment (83 µg/day, subcutaneous pellet). After 10 wk, the venous biomechanics, norepinephrine (NE)-induced contractility, and acetylcholine-induced relaxation were tested in saphenous veins from control animals and from animals treated with DHT or DHT with vitD using pressure angiography. Additionally, the expression levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) were measured using immunohistochemistry. Increased diameter, wall thickness, and distensibility as well as decreased vasoconstriction were detected after the DHT treatment. Concomitant vitD treatment lowered the mechanical load on the veins, reduced distensibility, and resulted in vessels that were more relaxed. Although there was no difference in the endothelial dilation tested using acetylcholine (ACh), the blocking effect of N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) was lower and was accompanied by lower COX-2 expression in the endothelium after the DHT treatment. Supplementation with vitD prevented these alterations. eNOS expression did not differ among the three groups. We conclude that the hyperandrogenic state resulted in thicker vein walls. These veins showed early remodeling and altered vasorelaxant mechanisms similar to those of varicose veins. Alterations caused by the chronic DHT treatment were prevented partially by concomitant vitD administration.

Endothelial relaxation mechanisms and nitrative stress are partly restored by Vitamin D3 therapy in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome.

AIMS: In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunction is related to hyperandrogenic status and insulin resistance, however, Vitamin D3 has a beneficial effect partly due to its anti-oxidant capacity. Nitrative stress is a major factor in the development of cardiovascular dysfunction and insulin resistance in various diseases. Our aim was to determine the effects of vitamin D3 in a rat model of PCOS, particularly the pathogenic role of nitrative stress. MAIN METHODS: Female Wistar rats weighing 100-140g were administered vehicle (C), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or dihydrotestosterone plus vitamin D3 (DHT+D) (n=10 per group). On the 10th week, acetylcholine (Ach) induced relaxation ability of the isolated thoracic aorta rings was determined. In order to examine the possible role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathways in the impaired endothelial function, immunohistochemical labeling of aortas with anti-eNOS and anti-COX-2 antibodies was performed. Leukocyte smears, aorta and ovary tissue sections were also immunostained with anti-nitrotyrosine antibody to determine nitrative stress. KEY FINDINGS: Relaxation ability of aorta was reduced in group DHT, and vitamin D3 partly restored Ach induced relaxation. eNOS labeling was significantly lower in DHT rats compared to the other two groups, however COX-2 staining showed an increment. Nitrative stress showed a significant increase in response to dihydrotestosterone, while vitamin D3 treatment, in case of the ovaries, was able to reverse this effect. SIGNIFICANCE: Nitrative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS and in the development of the therapeutic effect of vitamin D3.