Publication
Benassayag C, Leroy MJ, Rigourd V, Robert B, Honoré JC, Mignot TM, VacherLavenu MC, Chapron C, Ferré F
• 06/1999
The distributions of the mRNAs for estrogen receptors (ERalpha and ERbeta) and their binding properties in myometria of pregnant and nonpregnant women and in leiomyoma were studied. RT-PCR analysis indicated that the term pregnancy myometria had little ERalpha mRNA, whereas the amounts of ERbeta mRNAs in pregnant or nonpregnant myometria appeared to be similar. Both ERalpha and ERbeta mRNA were greater in certain leiomyoma than in normal nonpregnant myometria. The binding kinetics revealed that two specific binding sites (with high or low affinity) for 17beta-estradiol were present in the nonpregnant myometrium. Only the low-affinity binding sites were detectable in late-pregnancy myometria and in leiomyoma, and their capacities were increased two- to threefold (P < 0.001) in leiomyoma. The pregnancy- and leiomyoma-related changes in myometrial ER status, especially the low concentration of ERalpha mRNA and the lack of high-affinity ER in pregnant women, plus the increased ERalpha and ERbeta mRNAs and the increased low-affinity ER in some leiomyoma, suggest that the redistribution of ER subtypes is associated with the pathological and/or normal growth of the myometrium.
Publication
Kinkel K, Chapron C, Balleyguier C, Fritel X, Dubuisson JB, Moreau JF
• 04/1999
The aim of this study was to describe magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings in histopathologically proven deep endometriosis infiltrating the uterosacral ligaments, the pouch of Douglas, the rectum or the bladder. Twenty patients presenting with a clinical suspicion of deep endometriosis underwent preoperative MR imaging. Sagittal and axial fast T2- and axial T1-weighted spin echo MR sequences were performed. Four patients had post-contrast images. MR results, including morphology and signal intensity of each lesion, were compared to intraoperative gross appearance and histopathology. Histopathology diagnosed 24 lesions of deep endometriosis in the uterosacral ligaments (n = 12), the pouch of Douglas (n = 2), the rectum (n = 3), the bladder (n = 7). Uterosacral ligaments with deep endometriosis were statistically different from normal uterosacral ligaments for proximal nodularity (P = 0.001). There was no difference in signal intensity between normal and abnormal uterosacral ligaments. Contrast-enhanced SE images in four patients with detrusor invasion showed an interruption of the hypointense detrusor by the enhancing bladder endometriosis. Rectal endometriosis was missed in two of three patients and showed non-specific rectal wall thickening in one patient. It is concluded that MR imaging can diagnose deep endometriosis of uterosacral ligaments, the bladder and the pouch of Douglas, but lacks sensitivity in detecting rectal endometriosis without rectal distension.
Publication
Chapron C, Dubuisson JB, Fernandez B, Dousset B
• 02/1999
The treatment of first intention for endometriosis must be surgery. In cases of infertility the surgical treatment of choice is laparoscopic surgery, maybe in conjunction with the medical treatment and possibly followed-up by a second-look. When there is pelvic pain, the treatment relies on complete exeresis of the endometriotic lesions. In this context, laparoscopic surgery is as efficient as laparotomy for dealing with ovarian endometriomas, deep endometriosis infiltrating the uterosacral ligaments, the rectovaginal septum and the bladder. However, in the majority of cases bowel endometriosis is still an indication to operate by laparotomy.
Publication
Chapron C, Fritel X, Dubuisson JB
• 02/1999
The aim of this study was to evaluate fertility outcome after laparoscopic management of deep endometriosis infiltrating the uterosacral ligaments (USL). From January 1993 to December 1996, 30 patients who presented with no other infertility factors were treated using laparoscopic surgery. The overall rate of intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) was 50.0% (15 patients). Only one of these 15 pregnancies was obtained using in-vitro fertilization techniques (IVF). The cumulative IUP rate for the 14 pregnancies which occurred spontaneously was 48.5% at 12 months (95% confidence interval 28.3-68.7). The rate of spontaneous pregnancies was not significantly correlated with the revised American Fertility Society (rAFS) classification. The rate of IUP was 47.0% (eight cases) for patients with stage I or II endometriosis and 46.1% (six cases) for the patients presenting stage III or IV endometriosis (not significant). These encouraging preliminary results show that in a context of infertility it is reasonable to associate classic treatment for endometriosis (e.g. lysis, i.p. cystectomy, biopolar coagulation of superficial peritoneal endometriotic lesions) with resection of deep endometriotic lesions infiltrating the USL. Apart from the benefit with respect to the pain symptoms from which these patients suffer, it is possible to use laparoscopic surgery with substantial retroperitoneal dissection and enable half of the patients to become pregnant. These results also raise the question of the influence of deep endometriotic lesions on infertility.
Publication
Chapron C, Pierre F, Harchaoui Y, Lacroix S, Béguin S, Querleu D, Lansac J, Dubuisson JB
• 02/1999
A retrospective case review study was carried out on gastrointestinal injuries which occur during gynaecological laparoscopy. Fifty-six patients with 62 gastrointestinal injuries were identified. One-third of the complications (32.2%) occurred during the installation phase for laparoscopy. Four of the six complications attributed to electrosurgery were secondary to the use of monopolar coagulation. Diagnosis of these gastrointestinal injuries was made during surgery in only 20 patients (35.7%). The mean time before diagnosis was 4.0 +/- 5.4 (range 0-23) days. Treatment of these complications was performed by laparoscopic surgery in 16.1% of cases. Prevention relies on the surgeon's experience, strict observance of the safety rules, perfect familiarity with the physical properties of the instruments used, systematic use of bowel preparation for patients presenting a risk of bowel complications, systematic supervision of the route taken by the trocars, meticulous inspection on completion of surgery of all areas where bowel adhesiolysis has been used and, in case of any doubt, tests for leakage involving the rectosigmoid. For patients with a risk of bowel complications, the creation of a pneumoperitoneum and performing a mini laparoscopy in the left hypochondrium can be the judicious option.
Publication
Chapron C, Dubuisson JB, Fritel X, Fernandez B, Poncelet C, Béguin S, Pinelli L
• 02/1999
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe and assess the efficacy of laparoscopic surgical treatment for patients with pain and deep endometriosis located on the uterosacral ligaments. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: One hundred ten consecutive women with deep endometriosis infiltrating uterosacral ligaments. INTERVENTION: Operative laparoscopic management of endometriosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Improvement was reported in 82.3% (70/85) of patients with severe dysmenorrhea and was considered satisfactory in 82.8% (58/70). Improvement also occurred in 88.2% (75/85) of women with deep dyspareunia, and was considered satisfactory in 88.0% (66/75). CONCLUSION: Provided the surgeon is highly skilled in laparoscopy, operative laparoscopy is efficient for the treatment of painful symptoms related to deep endometriosis infiltrating uterosacral ligaments. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 6(1):31-37, 1999)
Publication
• 02/1999
369. Obstet Gynecol. 1999 Feb;93(2):318-9. Predicting risk of complications with gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. Chapron C, Dubuisson JB.
Publication
Dubuisson JB, Fauconnier A, Chapron C, Kreiker G, Norgaard C
• 10/1998
The ratio between benefit and risk of laparoscopic myomectomy in infertile patients is controversial. Based on literature data and their personal experience, the authors discuss the place of laparoscopic myomectomy in the care of infertile patients.
Publication
Dubuisson JB, Fauconnier A, Chapron C, Kreiker G, Nörgaard C
• 08/1998
The goal of this study was to assess the risk of adhesions after laparoscopic myomectomy. To this end our enquiry was based on observations with a prospective collection of data. Between October 26, 1990 and October 1, 1996, 45 patients underwent a second look after laparoscopic myomectomy. Seventy-two myomectomy sites were checked. The overall rate of postoperative adhesion was 35.6% per patient. The rate of adhesions per myomectomy site was 16.7%. The factors which influenced the occurrence of an adhesion on the myomectomy site were posterior location of the myoma and the existence of sutures. The rate of adhesions on the adnexa after laparoscopic myomectomy was 24.4%. The factors which influenced the occurrence of adnexal adhesions were another surgical procedure carried out at the same time, the existence of adhesions prior to the operation and posterior location of the myoma. The rate of adhesions after laparoscopic myomectomy is low and the adhesions rarely involved the adnexa. We recommend that a second-look laparoscopy be carried out systematically after laparoscopic myomectomy in patients desiring pregnancy.
Publication
Dubuisson JB, Chapron C
• 08/1998
The goal of this article is to report our experience and review recent articles obtained for laparoscopic tubal sterilization reversal. The technique we describe is 'single suture laparoscopic tubal re-anastomosis'. This technique is simple and atraumatic and requires only one stitch in the tube. After preparing the tube stumps and bringing the edges of the mesosalpinx together, laparoscopic anastomosis is achieved by one stitch placed at '12 o'clock' on the antimesial edge of the tube. Between May 1994 and June 1997 we operated on 32 patients using this technique and carried out 48 tubal sterilization reversals. For the patients who underwent postoperative hysterosalpingography during the first or second month after the operation, the rate of patency was 87.5% (42/48). The overall intrauterine pregnancy rate was 53.1% (17 out of 32 patients). The overall delivery rate was 40.6% (13 out of 32 patients). The intrauterine pregnancy rate for the 17 patients who were aged 38 years or under was 58.8% (10 out of 17 patients). Laparoscopic tubal sterilization reversal is feasible with a simplified technique. Review of the publications concerning laparoscopic microsurgical tubal anastomosis confirms satisfactory fertility results. The surgeon should be experienced in microsurgical tubal anastomosis by laparotomy as well as operative laparoscopic procedures.
