Is a bowel resection necessary for deep endometriosis with rectovaginal or colorectal involvement?

Background: The purpose of this paper is to report the long-term results of surgery without bowel resection in patients suffering from deep infiltrating endometriosis with rectovaginal or colorectal involvement.

Methods: This retrospective observational study identified 42 patients suffering with deep infiltrating endometriosis who underwent surgery. Conservative surgery was performed in 23 women (only one of them with bowel resection), and 19 women underwent a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (HBSO).