Pelvic Pain and Quality of Life Before and After Laparoscopic Bowel Resection for Rectosigmoid Endometriosis: A Prospective, Observational Study.

BACKGROUND

Surgery for rectosigmoid endometriosis carries a substantial risk of short- and long-term complications, which has to be counterbalanced against the potential effect of the procedure. Prospective data are scarce in the field of deep infiltrating endometriosis surgery.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to assess pelvic pain and quality of life before and after laparoscopic bowel resection for rectosigmoid endometriosis.

DESIGN

The study involved prospectively collected data regarding pelvic pain and quality of life before and after surgery.

SETTINGS

It was conducted at a tertiary endometriosis referral unit at Aarhus University Hospital.

PATIENTS

A total of 175 women were included.

INTERVENTION

Patients underwent laparoscopic bowel resection for endometriosis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Questionnaires for pain (Numerical Rating Scale) and quality of life (RAND Short Form-36) were answered before and 1 year after surgery. Data on analgesic and hormone treatment were collected. Preoperative and postoperative pelvic pain and quality-of-life scores were compared, and risk factors for improvement/worsening were identified.

RESULTS

A total of 97.1% of the women completed the 1-year follow up. A significant decrease (p = 0.0001) was observed on all pelvic pain parameters. Most profound was the decrease in dyschezia. A significant improvement on all quality-of-life scores was observed (p = 0.0001). A surgical complication did not have a negative impact on outcome 1 year after surgery. The postoperative outcome was not related to the type of surgery.

LIMITATIONS

This is an observational study without a control group. Risk factor data should be interpreted with caution, because the study was relatively underpowered for some of the rare outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant and clinically relevant improvement in pelvic pain and quality of life 1 year after laparoscopic bowel resection for endometriosis was found. We strongly recommend surgery for rectosigmoid endometriosis that is unresponsive to conservative treatment. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A472.