Endometriosis is a common condition with an incidence of approximately 10% of all women in
the fertile phase. Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) has been shown to be associated with
high morbidity. A retrospective study of 700 patients has shown lower urinary tract
involvement in up to 52.6% of cases with DIE. In most studies, the bladder is cited as the
most common site of DIE in the urinary tract, with the ureter being the second most common
lesion site. In cases of ureteral endometriosis, a procedure called ureterolysis is essential
because complete resection of the endometriosis is necessary to resolve or prevent renal
obstruction. In addition, ureterolysis is obligatory in the context of dissection of
endometriosis involving the rectovaginal septum, sacrouterine ligaments, or rectum.
Ureterolysis is the process of freeing the ureter from both endometriotic nodules as a
therapeutic procedure and from physiologic surrounding tissue and structures for complete
visualization. Because ureterolysis is a high-risk procedure for ureteral lesions,
alternatives are desirable.
ICG is a fluorescent dye that has been used for decades for various indications, including
retinal angiography, determination of tissue viability, and testing of cardiac and liver
function. It has gained an important role in intraoperative visualization of tissue perfusion
as well as sentinel lymph nodes in tumor surgery. ICG has also been used and described for
ureteral imageability.
However, these studies included small populations of 10-30 patients. None of the
aforementioned studies have investigated the imageability of the ureters in endometriosis and
with regard to a possible reduction in the need for ureteral dissection.
The investigators perform a cystoscopy with a retrograde injection of ICG in both ureters.
ICG and thus the ureters are visualized during laparoscopy by near-infrared light contained
in our camera systems. The additional use of fluorescence imaging of the ureters with ICG
injected into the ureters during laparoscopic resection of deep infiltrating endometriosis is
intended to improve visualization of the ureters and thus may prevent complete ureterolysis,
which is considered a high-risk procedure. It is a safe procedure as ICG has been shown to
have an excellent safety profile.
The aim of the study is to prove the feasibility of ureteral visualization using
intraureteral ICG in 2D laparoscopy for women with deep infiltrating endometriosis by means
of near-infrared fluorescence imaging of the ureters.
In our secondary endpoints the investigators want to describe the duration time of ICG
injection, the duration until visualization of the ureters, the detection rate of fluorescing
ureters after ICG-injection, the duration until maximum fluorescence is achieved, the
duration until the ureters can no longer be displayed, the length of performed ureterolysis
in centimeters and the safety of intraureteral ICG injection.