Research on endometriosis published by scientists at Free University.(Clinical report)

"The anatomopathological significance of a positive double-contrast barium enema (DCBE) for suspicion of deep infiltrating endometriosis of the large bowel was studied. This is a retrospective study of a prospective database," scientists in Brussels, Belgium report (see also Endometriosis).

"A large-bowel resection was proposed for patients who were suspicious for large-bowel endometriosis and had a positive DCBE. In a series of 73 patients, 71 large-bowel resections were performed. Histology and immunohistochemistry with the monoclonal antibody CD-10 were performed on the resection specimen. Outcome measures were the length of the resected specimen, the largest diameter of the lesion, the positivity of the resection margins, and the degree of infiltration of the large bowel. We also compared the mean largest diameters of the lesions with the degree of infiltration of the large bowel. Between December 1997 and October 2005, 80 patients were suspicious for large-bowel endometriosis: 73 (91%) had positive DCBEs, and 7 (9%) had negative DCBEs. Of the 73 with positive DCBEs, 4 (5%) refused digestive resection and 1 (1.4%) was excluded. Three patients underwent two large-bowel resections because of the presence of bifocal lesions (left and right colon). A total of 71 resections were performed. In case of positive DCBE, the perivisceral fat and the whole muscularis were infiltrated in 100% of cases. The infiltration reached the submucosa and the mucosa respectively in 82% and 18% of cases. A total of 9.9% of resection margins were positive at histology but only focally. The ...