Is ileostomy always necessary following rectal resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis?

Akladios, Cherif; Messori, Pietro; Faller, Emilie; Puga, Marco; Afors, Karolina; Leroy, Joel; Wattiez, Arnaud

OBJECTIVE To verify the hypothesis that in most patients bowel segmental resection to treat endometriosis can be safely performed without creation of a stoma and to discuss the limitations of this statement. DESIGN Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification III). SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Forty-one women with sigmoid and rectal endometriotic lesions who underwent segmental resection. INTERVENTION Segmental resection procedures performed between 2004 and 2011. Patient demographic, operative, and postoperative data were compared. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Sigmoid resection was performed in 6 patients (15%), and rectal anterior resection in 35 patients (high in 21 patients [51%], and low, i.e., <10 cm from the anal verge, in 14 [34%]). In 4 patients a temporary ileostomy was created. There was 1 anastomotic leak (2.4%), in a patient with an unprotected anastomosis, which was treated via laparoscopic surgery and creation of a temporary ileostomy. Other postoperative complications included hemoperitoneum, pelvic abscess, pelvic collection, and a ureteral vaginal fistula, in 1 patient each (all 2.4%). CONCLUSION A protective stoma may be averted in low anastomosis if it is >5 cm from the anal verge and there are no adverse intraoperative events.