Laparoscopic assisted sigmoid resection (LASR) for sigmoid endometriosis

In colorectal surgery, the use of laparoscopy has not developed at the same rate as in gynecological or gallbladder surgery. The need for advanced lap aroscopic surgical skills, deficiencies in instrumentation and the potentia l risk of laparoscopic surgery let many surgeons skeptical about the laparo scopic approach. In addition the cost effectiveness of large bowel surgery by laparoscopy represents a major criticism of the technique. Benign diseases as endometriosis represent the best indications for laparos copic large bowel resection (1). We propose the laparoscopic assisted sigmoid resection with extracorporeal bowel resection and anastomosis. This procedures is superior to the open te chnique in terms of cosmetics and perhaps postoperative pain and ileus (2). It allows the simultaneous treatment of other endometriotic lesions and res olves the cost problem of the total laparoscopic approach.