DESIGN: Excision of bladder endometriosis by first delineating the tumor via cystoscopy and simultaneously excising the nodule laparoscopically SETTING: Mahkota Medical Centre, Melaka, Malaysia.

INTERVENTION: Here we describe a simultaneous cystoscopic and laparoscopic excision of bladder endometriosis. The patient was first seen in 2005 at age 19 years with an endometrioma. She was single (virgo intacta) at that time. She underwent a laparoscopic cystectomy. Postoperatively, she received 3 doses of monthly gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue injection. She was last seen in 2006 and was well. She conceived spontaneously after that and delivered 2 babies spontaneously in 2007 and 2010 in another city. She consulted me again in April 2016 complaining of dysuria, dysmenorrhea, and inability to hold her urine. She had consulted a urologist 6 months earlier. Cystoscopy performed by the urologist showed bladder endometriosis. No further surgery was performed, and she was given GnRH analogues for 6 months. However, her symptoms persisted after completion of the GnRH analogue. Examination and ultrasound showed a large bladder nodule measuring 4.17 × 2.80 cm. Intravenous urogram showed stricture in the upper right ureter. She underwent a combined urology and gynecology surgery to excise the bladder nodule. Informed consent was obtained from the patient, and the local institutional board provided the approval. The surgery was performed with the patient in the dorsosacral position. A Verres needle was inserted into the abdomen at the umbilicus, and carbon dioxide insufflation was performed. A 10-mm trocar was inserted in the umbilicus, and a 3-dimensional laparoscope (Aesculup-BBraun Einstein Vision; BBraun, Melsungen AG, Germany) was inserted to view the pelvis. Three 5-mm trocars were inserted, 1 on the right side and 2 on the left side of the abdomen. A RUMI (CooperSurgical, Trumbull, CT) uterine manipulator was placed into the uterine cavity. Laparoscopy showed no adhesions in the upper and mid-abdomen. The appendix and the intestines looked normal. Both the ovaries and fallopian tubes were normal. Uterine insufflation with methylene blue showed that both tubes were patent. There was dense endometriosis between the bladder and fundus of the uterus. The omentum was also adherent to the site of the endometriosis. There were endometriotic nodules on the left uterosacral ligaments and the peritoneum in the wall in the pouch of Douglas. The omentum was released, and laparoscopic adhesiolysis was performed. Both the paravesical spaces lateral to the nodule were dissected out. The bladder was released from the uterus with some difficulty. The peritoneal endometriosis in the Pouch of Douglas and the nodules in the left uterosacral ligament were excised. Cystoscopy was performed and stents were first placed in both ureters. The nodule was found to be in the central position, and the margins were about 2 cm from both the ureteral orifices. The nodule was seen protruding into the bladder containing bluish lesions. Demarcation of the bladder endometriosis was done using a resectoscope. Using a needle electrode, a deep circular incision was made around the bladder nodule and into the detrusor muscle. Cystoscopic perforation of the bladder was done and was seen laparoscopically. The bladder endometriotic nodule was completely excised laparoscopically after the demarcation line created via the cystoscopy. Stay sutures were first placed at the superior and inferior edges of the defect. The bladder was repaired continuously in 1 layer using polyglactin 3-0 sutures. The nodule was placed in a bag cut into smaller pieces and removed through the umbilical incision. At the end of the surgery a cystoscopy was perform to check the integrity of the suture. The pelvis was then washed. A bladder catheter was placed. The trocars were then removed under vision, and the rectus sheath was closed using polyglactin 1 suture. The skin incisions were closed. The operation time was 2 hours. The patient received antibiotics for 10 days. She was discharged with a catheter in place on day 3. She underwent a cystogram on day 10 of the surgery, and the bladder was found to be intact. The catheter was then removed. She was seen 6 weeks after the surgery and was well without any symptoms. The ureteric catheters were removed. Histopathology confirmed bladder endometriosis. Five months later she conceived spontaneously and delivered her third child naturally in June 2017. She was seen after her delivery and was advised to take oral contraceptive pills continuously or an intrauterine contraceptive device to prevent recurrence of the endometriosis. She took the oral contraceptive pills for 3 months and then refused any further treatment. She was last seen in February 2019 and was well without any symptoms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study employed 28 young female Wistar albino rats weighing 250-300 grams. An experimental adhesion model was created in each rat using serosal abrasion and peritoneal excision. They were divided into four groups, each comprising seven rats: Group 1, adhesion induction only; Group 2, resveratrol administration only; Group 3, octreotide administration only; and Group 4, administration of resveratrol and octreotide combination. The rats were monitored under appropriate conditions for 14 days and then underwent laparotomy. Macroscopic intensity and extensiveness of adhesions and microscopic changes in the granulation tissue (cellular intensity, reticular and collagen fibers, capillaries, elastic and smooth muscle fibers, fibrosis) were evaluated and graded. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-test were used in statistical analysis and the level of statistical significance was established as p <0.05.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the intensity and extensiveness of macroscopic adhesions (p=0.377 and p=0.319). There was a statistically significant difference between the microscopic scores of the groups according to Zühlke's classification (p=0.026). The Bonferroni correction used to test for the differences revealed that the rats in Group 1 achieved significantly higher scores than the rats in Group 3 (p=0.016).

DESIGN: A case-controlled study of the iron levels (microgram/mL) in the pelvic PF of 12 patients with moderate-to-severe disease, 15 patients with minimal-to-mild disease and in 17 women with normal pelvises were compared. As an index of free radical reactions through lipid peroxidation, the levels of malondialdehyde levels (ng/mL) were assessed simultaneously in the same specimens.

RESULTS: Controlling for the phase of the menstrual cycle, significantly higher levels of iron were seen in patients with endometriosis, the levels being correlated with the severity of the disease. However no such corresponding relationship was seen in the malondialdehyde levels in the PF.