Objective: To evaluate effectiveness and reproducibility of qualitative and quantitative near-infrared indocyanine green (NIR-ICG) analyses as a tool for anastomotic perfusion assessment after full-thickness bowel resection for recto-sigmoid endometriosis (RSE).
Methods: Thirty-three symptomatic women with RSE undergoing minimally invasive full-thickness surgical excision of RSE and NIR-ICG evaluation from November 2019 to July 2020 were included. Results: Of 33 patients, 2 (6%) developed bowel fistula. In predicting bowel fistula, qualitative and quantitative NIR-ICG evaluations showed sensitivity of 100% and 100%, specificity of 71% and 93%, and AUC of 0.86 (95%CI: 0.67-1) and 0.96 (95% CI: 0-1), respectively. Regarding inter-operator agreement rate, it was reported as excellent for qualitative analysis and very good for quantitative one.
Conclusion: Qualitative and quantitative NIR-ICG evaluations might be effective and reproducible tools for anastomotic perfusion assessment after discoid or segmental resection for RSE. Quantitative evaluation might be even more effective than qualitative evaluation in predicting bowel fistula.
