Role of Laparoscopic Surgery in Deep Infiltrative Endometriosis: Review Article

Abstract

Endometriosis is a progressive medical condition that affects reproductive-aged women, usually presenting with pelvic pain and infertility. The deep infiltrative endometriosis, infiltrating the peritoneum of more than 5 mm, is found by pathology to be an active disease that involves the uterosacral ligaments, the retro-cervical area, the rectovaginal septum, the rectum, the vagina, and the bladder. The choice of therapy depends on the presentation and severity of the symptoms, the extended location of endometriotic lesions, and the fertility need. Laparoscopic surgery is a standard of clinical care for women with deep infiltrative endometriosis-related bowel endometriosis, severe pelvic pain, and infertility. Nevertheless, pre-operative mapping of the disease is difficult for accuracy planning, with bowel and urinary tract injuries being the major concern of surgical treatments. Thereby, a multidisciplinary laparoscopic approach, with radical laparoscopic surgery, plays an essential role for the treatment of deep infiltrative endometriosis. Keywords: Deep infiltrative endometriosis, Endometriosis, Laparoscopy, Laparoscopic surgery