{"paper_id":"02ed3c02-7ffc-4d05-9c0b-bd3dda8fb302","body_text":"Surgery for deep infiltrating rectal endometriosis— Selecting the right approach \n  \nABSTRACT \n \nEndometriosis involving the bowel is a form of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). \nThe endometriotic lesions can infiltrate the bowel laye rs mimicking a malignancy. The \nmajority of bowel involvement happens in the colon and rectum. We report our \nexperience in surgically managing rectal endometriosis in two patients, one via a \nconservative approach and the other with a more radical approach and their associated \nshort-term and long -term outcomes are observed. In principle, surgery remains the \nmainstay of treatment in managing rectal DIE with adjuvant hormonal therapy. The \nselection of surgical approach should be based on disease factors such as  the size of \nthe lesions and extent of the disease, patient factors including fitness for surgery and \nexpectations as well as logistics and resource limitations.","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}