Quality of life after segmental resection of the rectosigmoid by laparoscopy in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis with bowel involvement.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To estimate the quality of life of patients undergoing laparoscopic resection of a segment of the rectosigmoid for the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis with bowel involvement.

DESIGN

Prospective application of the SF-36 Health Status Questionnaire to 151 women before and 1 year after surgical intervention (Canadian Task Force Design Classification II).

SETTING

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of São Paulo Medical School, and Samaritano Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.

PATIENTS

A total of 151 women (mean age 34.05 ± 5.65 years) with deep infiltrating endometriosis underwent resection of a segment of the rectosigmoid by laparoscopy between 2002 to 2009.

INTERVENTIONS

All the patients had historical data collected and underwent clinical examination and transvaginal ultrasonography with prior bowel preparation for resection of a segment of the rectosigmoid by laparoscopy indicated for patients with symptoms (pelvic pain) with 1 or more lesions of more than 3 cm in length or multifocal lesions.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Wilcoxon signed rank test verified differences between the degrees of the symptoms and the SF-36 scores before and 1 year after laparoscopic treatment. There was a significant improvement (p < .001) in all pain-related symptoms, as well as a significant increase (p < .001) in scores in all the SF-36 domains and in the sum of the components comprising both physical and mental health.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic segmental resection of the rectosigmoid fulfills its essential objective of treating endometriosis with bowel involvement and improving patients' QoL to a significant extent.