Robot-Assisted Surgery for Endometriosis Current and Future Perspectives.

Successful resection of all visible lesions may effectively treat endometriosis-related infertility and pelvic pain. Minimally invasive surgery provides significant advantages, with lower rates of surgical complications such as surgical trauma, infection, postoperative pain, and hospital stay. Robotic surgery is shown to have similar perioperative outcomes to conventional laparoscopy; however, complex stage III and IV endometriosis, especially cases requiring significant resection such as deep infiltrating endometriosis, widespread peritoneal implants, and urologic and intestinal involvement, may benefit most from a robotic approach. There are certain aspects of endometriosis surgery where utilization of robotic technology might provide an additional benefit. These include (1) heterogeneity of lesions, and thus difficulty in identification; (2) difficulty in accurately predicting surgical complexity; and (3) prolonged operative time for complex cases. The objective of this review is to describe the current and future perspectives of robotic surgery as it pertains to endometriosis.

Evaluating Surgical Complexity of Endoscopic Hysterectomy: An Inter-rater and Intra-rater Agreement Study of Novel Scoring Tool.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Evaluate inter-rater and intrarater reliability of a novel scoring tool for surgical complexity assessment of endoscopic hysterectomy. DESIGN: Validation study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Total of 11 academic obstetrician-gynecologists with varying years of postresidency training, clinical practice, and surgical volumes. INTERVENTIONS: Application of a novel scoring tool to evaluate surgical complexity of 150 sets of images taken in a standardized fashion before surgical intervention (global pelvis, anterior cul-de-sac, posterior cul-de-sac, right adnexa, left adnexa). Using only these images, raters were asked to assess uterine size, number, and location of myomas, adnexal and uterine mobility, need for ureterolysis, and presence of endometriosis or adhesions in relevant locations. Surgical complexity was staged on a scale of 1 to 4 (low to high complexity). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Number of postresidency years in practice for participating surgeons ranged from 2 to 15, with an average of 8 years. A total of 8 obstetrician-gynecologists (72.7%) had completed a fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. Six (54.6%) reported an annual volume of >50 hysterectomies. Raters reported that 95.4% of the images were satisfactory for assessment. Of the 150 sets of images, most were found to be stage 1 to 2 complexity (stage 1: 23.8%, stage 2: 41.6%, stage 3: 32.8%, stage 4: 1.8%). The level of inter-rater agreement regarding stage 1 to 2 vs 3 to 4 complexity was moderate (κ = 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42-0.56). Moderate inter-rater agreement was also found between surgeon raters with an annual hysterectomy volume >50 (κ = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.40-0.57) as well as between surgeon raters with fellowship experience (κ = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.42-0.58). Intrarater agreement averaged 80.2% among all raters and also achieved moderate agreement (mean weighted κ = 0.53; range, 0.38-0.72). CONCLUSION: This novel scoring tool uses clinical assessment of preintervention anatomic images to stratify the surgical complexity of endoscopic hysterectomy. It has rich and comprehensive evaluation capabilities and achieved moderate inter-rater and intrarater agreement. The tool can be used in conjunction with or instead of traditional markers of surgical complexity such as uterine weight, estimated blood loss, and operative time.

Diaphragmatic endometriosis and thoracic endometriosis syndrome: a review on diagnosis and treatment.

Endometriosis of the diaphragm has been gaining more attention in the practice of gynecologists and thoracic surgeons in recent years. Understanding related symptoms and developing imaging methods have improved their approach. A review of the literature was performed with the aim to report on incidence, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of diaphragmatic endometriosis. We also cover the issue of the Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome (TES). Complaints of cyclic chest pain in patients of childbearing age should have as differential diagnosis the presence of thoracic endometriosis. Catamenial pneumothorax is the main manifestation of diaphragmatic endometriosis and Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome. Other possible manifestations are hemothorax, pulmonary nodules, and diaphragmatic hernia. Despite the possibility of drug treatment, many patients will be submitted to surgical treatment. The minimally invasive approach should be the one of choice. The robotic pathway allows for an easier approach due to its ability to articulate robotic arms, allowing the treatment of lesions in hard-to-reach locations, such as the posterior part of the diaphragm. Multidisciplinary treatment should be used in most cases, as only abdominal approach is not sufficient for the diagnosis and treatment of lesions in the thoracic cavity. The approach of endometriosis of the diaphragm and Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome should be multidisciplinary, allowing the improvement of quality of life in most patients.

A narrative review of functional outcomes following nerve-sparing surgery for deeply infiltrating endometriosis.

Endometriosis negatively impacts the lives of countless women around the world. When medical management fails to improve the quality of life for women with either previously confirmed or suspected endometriosis often a decision must be made whether or not to proceed with surgery. When deeply infiltrating disease is diagnosed either clinically or by imaging studies often medical management alone will not suffice without excisional surgery. Surgery for endometriosis, especially deeply infiltrating disease, is not without risks. Aside from common risks of surgery endometriosis may also involve pelvic nerves, which can be hard to recognize to the untrained eye. Identification of pelvic nerves commonly encountered during endometriosis surgery is paramount to avoid inadvertent injury to optimize function outcomes. Injury to pelvic nerves can lead to urinary retention, constipation, sexual dysfunction, and refractory pain. However, nerve-sparing surgery for endometriosis has been proven to mitigate these complications and enhance recovery following surgery. Here we review the benefits of nerve-sparing surgery for deeply infiltrating disease.

Sexual function in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis.

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a benign condition that causes pain and infertility. Sexual dysfunction, particularly deep dyspareunia, is common in patients with endometriosis and interferes with quality of life and conjugal satisfaction. AIM: The study aims to assess sexual function in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis. METHOD: Fifty-seven women diagnosed with deep infiltrating endometriosis were recruited from Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto (HUPE) between July and December 2011. The control group comprised 38 healthy women recruited at the HUPE family planning clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcomes are full-scale and individual domain scores on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a validated questionnaire for functional assessment of sexual function in women. RESULTS: Patients with endometriosis had more pain in intercourse than controls, which correlates with lower scores in the FSFI pain domain. However, there were no statistically significant between-group differences in overall (full-scale) FSFI scores. CONCLUSION: Women with endometriosis exhibit significant dysfunction in the pain domain of the FSFI questionnaire, but this finding was not sufficient to affect the overall sexual function.

Effectiveness of see-and-treat for approaching pre-invasive lesions of uterine cervix.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness between the see-and-treat (S&T) approach and the conventional one (with prior biopsy) for squamous intraepithelial lesions of uterine cervix. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 900 nonpregnant women with cytology suggestive of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, between 1998 and 2004. The S&T approach consists of a large loop excision of the transformation zone procedure and is recommended when cytology is suggestive of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, satisfactory colposcopy with abnormalities compatible with the suspected cytological results, and the lesion is limited to the ectocervix or extends up to one centimeter of the endocervical canal. A subgroup of 336 patients whose colposcopy was considered satisfactory was analyzed, and they were divided into two groups for comparison: patients treated without prior biopsy (n = 288) and patients treated after a biopsy showing high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (n = 48). Patients who were not treated or only treated more than a year later after recruitment at the colposcopy unit were considered dropouts. RESULTS: Of patients recruited during the study period, 71 were not treated or were only treated for at least a year. The overall dropout rate was 7.9% (95% CI: 6.1;9.7). Mean time elapsed between patient recruitment and treatment was 17.5 days in the S&T group and 102.5 days in the prior biopsy group. Dropout rates were 1.4% (95% CI: 0.04;2.7) and 5.% (95% CI: 0;12.3), respectively (p=0.07). The proportion of overtreated cases (negative histology) in the S&T group was 2.0% (95% CI: 0.4;3.6). CONCLUSIONS: The difference in the mean time elapsed between patient recruitment and treatment indicates that S&T is a time-saving approach The proportion of negative cases from using the S&T approach can be regarded as low.

Effectiveness of see-and-treat for approaching pre-invasive lesions of uterine cervix / Efetividade da abordagem "ver e tratar" em lesões pré-invasivas no colo uterino / Efectividad del abordaje "ver y tratar" en lesiones pre-invasivas en el colon uterino

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness between the see-and-treat (S&T) approach and the conventional one (with prior biopsy) for squamous intraepithelial lesions of uterine cervix. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 900 nonpregnant women with cytology suggestive of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, between 1998 and 2004. The S&T approach consists of a large loop excision of the transformation zone procedure and is recommended when cytology is suggestive of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, satisfactory colposcopy with abnormalities compatible with the suspected cytological results, and the lesion is limited to the ectocervix or extends up to one centimeter of the endocervical canal. A subgroup of 336 patients whose colposcopy was considered satisfactory was analyzed, and they were divided into two groups for comparison: patients treated without prior biopsy (n = 288) and patients treated after a biopsy showing high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (n = 48). Patients who were not treated or only treated more than a year later after recruitment at the colposcopy unit were considered dropouts. RESULTS: Of patients recruited during the study period, 71 were not treated or were only treated for at least a year. The overall dropout rate was 7.9 percent (95 percent CI: 6.1;9.7). Mean time elapsed between patient recruitment and treatment was 17.5 days in the S&T group and 102.5 days in the prior biopsy group. Dropout rates were 1.4 percent (95 percent CI: 0.04;2.7) and 5. percent (95 percent CI: 0;12.3), respectively (p=0.07). The proportion of overtreated cases (negative histology) in the S&T group was 2.0 percent (95 percent CI: 0.4;3.6). CONCLUSIONS: The difference in the mean time elapsed between patient recruitment and treatment indicates that S&T is a time-saving approach The proportion of negative cases from using the S&T approach can be regarded as low.

OBJETIVO: Comparar a efetividade do método "ver-e-tratar" (V&T) com a abordagem tradicional (biópsia prévia) das lesões escamosas intraepiteliais do colo uterino. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal realizado na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, de 1998 a 2004, com 900 pacientes não gestantes que apresentavam citologia sugestiva de lesão intraepitelial escamosa de alto grau. O método V&T inclui a excisão ampla da zona de transformaçao que é indicada quando a citologia é sugestiva de lesão intra-epitelial escamosa de alto grau, a colposcopia é satisfatória e compatível com a alteração citológica e a alteração colposcópica deve estar limitada à ectocérvice e ao primeiro centímetro do canal cervical. Foi analisado o subgrupo de 336 pacientes com colposcopias consideradas satisfatórias, compreendendo dois grupos para comparação: pacientes tratadas sem biópsia prévia (n=288) versus pacientes tratadas após a biópsia mostrando lesão intraepitelial escamosa de alto grau (n=48). Foram consideradas perdas as pacientes não tratadas ou tratadas apenas um ano ou mais após recrutamento pela clínica de colposcopia, no grupo V&T. RESULTADOS: Das pacientes recrutadas durante o período do estudo, 71 não foram tratadas ou foram tratadas apenas um ano mais tarde, fornecendo uma taxa global de abandonos de 7,9 por cento (IC 95 por cento: 6,1;9,7). O tempo médio entre a captação da paciente e o tratamento foi de 17,5 dias no V&T e 102,5 dias no grupo biópsia prévia. As taxas de perdas foram de 1,4 por cento (IC 95 por cento: 0,04;2,7) no grupo V&T e de 5,9 por cento (IC 95 por cento: 0;12,3) no de biópsia prévia (p=0,07). A proporção de tratamentos desnecessários (histologia negativa) no grupo V&T foi 2,0 por cento (IC 95 por cento: 0,4;3,6). CONCLUSÕES: A diferença de tempo médio entre a captação da paciente e o tratamento indicou que o V&T é um método que poupa tempo. A proporção de casos negativos quando o método V&T foi utilizado pode ser considerada baixa.

OBJETIVO: Comparar la efectividad del método "ver-y-tratar" (V&T) con el abordaje tradicional (biopsia previa) de las lesiones escamosas intraepiteliales del colon uterino. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal realizado en la ciudad de Rio de Janeiro, Sureste de Brasil, de 1998 a 2004, con 900 pacientes no gestantes que presentaban citología sugestiva de lesión intraepitelial escamosa de alto grado. El método V&T incluye la excisión amplia de la zona de transformación que es indicada cuanto la citología es sugestiva de lesión intraepitelial escamosa de alto grado, la colposcopia es satisfactoria y compatible con la alteración citológica y la alteración colposcópica debe estar limita a la ectocervix y la primer centímetro del canal cervical. Fue analizado el subgrupo de 336 pacientes con colposcopias consideradas satisfactorias, comprendiendo dos grupos para comparación: pacientes tratadas sin biopsia previa (n=288) versus pacientes tratadas posterior a la biopsia mostrando lesión intraepitelial escamosa de alto grado (n=48). Fueron consideradas pérdidas las pacientes no tratadas o tratadas sólo un año o más posterior al reclutamiento por la clínica de colposcopia, en el grupo V&T. RESULTADOS: De las pacientes reclutadas durante el período de estudio, 71 no fueron tratadas o fueron tratadas sólo un año más tarde, suministrando una tasa global de abandonos de 7,9 por ciento (IC 95 por ciento: 6,1;9,7). El tiempo promedio entre la captación de la paciente y el tratamiento fue de 17,5 días en el V&T y 102,5 días en el grupo biopsia previa. Las tasas de pérdidas fueron de 1,4 por ciento (IC 95 por ciento: 0,04;2,7) en el grupo V&T y de 5,9 por ciento (IC 95 por ciento: 0;12,3) en el de biopsia previa (p=0,07). La proporción de tratamientos innecesarios (histología negativa) en el grupo V&T fue 2,0 por ciento (IC 95 por ciento:0,4;3,6). CONCLUSIONES: La diferencia de tiempo promedio entre la captación de la paciente y el tratamiento indicó que el V&T ...