NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. – Laparoscopic retroperitoneal nerve-sparing surgery is a safe approach that relieves pain in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis, according to findings presented by Giovanni Roviglione, MD, at the AAGL Global Congress.
The prospective case series study with a single gynecologic surgeon in Verona, Italy, involved 382 women who had deep infiltrating endometriosis with sciatica and anogenital pain. All of the women had some level of nervous compression of somatic structures and infiltration of their fascial envelope.
The surgery involved whole decompression and partial neurolysis of nervous structures for most patients, while nearly 20% of women required complete neurolysis based on their level of infiltration. Most women (64%) had severe enough infiltration that a concomitant bowel resection was also necessary.
The surgeon performed a medial approach for deep pelvic endometriosis with rectal and/or parametrial involvement extending to the pelvic wall and somatic nerve, or a lateral approach for isolated endometriosis of the pelvic wall and somatic nerves.
At 6 months after surgery, all patients reported complete relief from pain. However, 77 women (20%) experienced postoperative neuritis, which was successfully treated with corticosteroids, antiepileptics, and opioids.
Endometriosis that extends into somatic nerves and the sacral roots is a common cause of pelvic pain, Dr. Roviglione said.
“This kind of endometriosis is resistant to opioids and drugs,” he said. The difficulty in treating deep infiltrating endometriosis is compounded by the often long delay in diagnosis, he added.
Using laparoscopy for neurolysis and decompression of somatic nerves affected by endometriosis is a “more accurate and effective treatment” for providing pain relief, Dr. Roviglione said. But laparoscopic retroperitoneal nerve-sparing surgery should be performed only by skilled neuroanatomy surgeons at referral centers because of the complex nature of the procedure, he noted.
Dr. Roviglione reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Ceccaroni M et al. AAGL 2017 Abstract 166.