Successful detection of rectal injury during laparoscopic surgery using a rectal probe in a patient with deep endometriosis

Kaori Yoriki, Izumi Kusuki, Mari Kawamata, Yosuke Tarumi, Taisuke Mori, Jo Kitawaki
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research · 2020 · vol. 47(1) , pp. 425–429 · doi:10.1111/jog.14535 · PMID:33073414 · W3093292067
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 1 in-corpus citation
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

A rectal probe successfully identified a subtle rectal injury during laparoscopic endometriosis surgery, even when standard air leak tests were negative, enabling prompt repair.

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Abstract

Laparoscopic surgery has become the gold standard treatment for endometriosis. Surgical treatment of deep endometriosis with colorectal involvement is challenging. It requires complete surgical excision of lesions despite a high risk of complications that include rectal injury, rectovaginal fistula and pelvic abscess. An intraoperative air leak test allows detection of rectal injury and reduces postoperative complications. We report a case of successful management of rectal injury during laparoscopic surgery using a rectal probe even though air leak tests were negative. A 45-year-old woman with severe endometriosis and rectal involvement underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy combined with rectal shaving. A pinhole injury that reached the rectal muscularis layer without breaching the mucosal layer was identified using a rectal probe after negative air leak tests. The injury was repaired uneventfully. Our experience suggests that using a rectal probe could be helpful for early detection and safe repair of rectal injury during surgery.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Laparoscopy Rectal Diseases Rectal Diseases Rectal Diseases Female Humans Middle Aged Postoperative Complications Rectum Rectum Treatment Outcome

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (15)

Cited by (1)

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK