Endometriosis of the gastrointestinal system accounts for 5 to 12% of deep endometriosis cases1. 90% infiltrates the rectum and the sigmoid (large bowel)2. In most cases, the patients present with severe symptoms, such as the following: dyschezia (pain on opening the bowels), haematochezia (blood in the stools), bloating and change between constipation and diarrhoea. Those symptoms are, often, more intense…
The urinary tract is infiltrated in 14-20% of patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis1. They often coexist with other endometriosis lesions. The most common symptoms are frequent urination, pain and burning on urination, strong desire to pass urine, blood in the urine and inability to fully empty the bladder. Some patients may have no symptoms at all. Diagnosis can be achieved…
As we saw in another article, one of the surgical management options for bowel endometriosis is the laparoscopic segmental bowel resection (removal of the affected segment of the bowel). But how is the actual specimen removed? Classically, a small incision below the belly button is required to remove the specimen. Although this incision is smaller than that of a caesarean…
Endometriosis is the benign disease, where endometrial-like tissue is found in places other than the uterus1. Possible locations include the ovaries, fallopian tubes, peritoneum( the thin membrane that covers the pelvic organs), bowel, urinary tract (urinary bladder and ureters), as well as less common locations (such as nerves, diaphragm, abdominal wall, lungs). This hormone-sensitive disease (sensitive to oestrogens) affects around…
Endometriosis is a disease that often (and always in its deep form) causes distortion in the normal pelvic anatomy due to formation of adhesions1. This means that the disease itself as well as every effort to remove lesions laparoscopically can jeopardise organs such as the bowel, the bladder, the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder) etc.…
We recognise 3 types of endometriosis. Of note, the 3 types are based on anatomic criteria (so to say, where the lesions of endometriosis are located), therefore, there is not always a clear correlation between the type of the disease and the type or severity of symptoms.
The focus in the modern management of endometriosis, in the recent years, has been shifted towards the creation of teams of healthcare professionals with expertise in the management of the disease, in a patient-centred approach1. Although each endometriosis centre may have a different team structure, we suggest a team that consists of an endometriosis surgeon, a colorectal surgeon, a urologist,…
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