Cystoscopy-assisted laparoscopic resection of extramucosal bladder endometriosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Involvement of the bladder is seen in only 1% to 2% of patients with endometriosis. The diagnosis of vesical endometriosis is difficult to formulate, and it should be confirmed by cystoscopy with biopsy. However, this examination is often insufficient because of the submucosal-transmural location of the lesion. Therefore, laparoscopic examination represents the gold standard for the diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis. We describe a case of recurrent bladder endometriosis treated by a combined endoscopy technique.

CASE REPORT

A 43-year-old woman presented with pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and persistent cystitis. The endometriotic lesion on the posterior wall of the bladder consisted in a 2.5-cm nodule growing into the vesical muscularis and raising the overlying peritoneum. We performed laparoscopic resection employing a cystoscopy-assisted technique in order to preserve the integrity of the vesical mucosa. Resection was carried out and monitored from inside the bladder with the cystoscope and laparoscope lights turned on during the whole procedure ("light-to-light" technique).

CONCLUSION

This minimally invasive combined endoscopic procedure could represent a good alternative to partial cystectomy for muscle-infiltrating bladder endometriosis that does not involve the vesical mucosa.