Purpose To analyze the follow-up results of patients suffering from symptomatic early-stage endometriosis after a consistent laparoscopic peritoneal stripping of the altered peritoneum (peritoneal endometriosis and surrounding inflamed tissue) was performed. This type of endometriosis is resistant to medical therapy and/or impairs fertility. Methods Using our prospectively maintained database, we were able to identify all symptomatic women with the suspicion of only peritoneal endometriosis who underwent laparoscopy at our endometriosis center over a period of 5 years. All procedures were carried out in a standardized fashion by one single surgeon, who is highly experienced in minimal invasive surgery, and included a suspended hormonal pretreatment for 2 months. Postoperative outcomes including complications, fertility and recurrence rates were analysed. Results Laparoscopic peritonectomy was performed on 94 women. Follow-up data were available in 87% of these cases. At the time of surgery, almost all patients tested showed signs of stage I or II endometriosis (44.7 and 48.9%, respectively). More than three-quarters of the women reported pain relief, inter alia, due to the post-surgical hormonal therapy. About one-third of the patients wanted to have children after the procedure. 62% of them became pregnant and the majority did so without the need for assisted reproductive therapy. In seven women a re-operation was performed. Conclusion According to our data, a consistent excision of altered peritoneum followed by adjuvant hormonal therapy and multimodal concepts results in better outcomes for the patient, particularly in regards to pregnancy and recurrence rates.

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women of reproductive age are affected by endometriosis. Severe symptoms characterized by endometriosis include: dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dyschezia, dysuria, cyclic and acyclic pelvic pain, menstrual disorders and infertility. These symptoms have extreme human, clinical and economic relevance (1, 2). Although they are relatively specific for endometriosis, there is normally a long delay between the onset of symptoms and establishing an official diagnosis. Frequently, the final diagnosis occurs after 10 visits to different physicians (3). The current average time of diagnosis is between 6-8 years. The wide range of many other nonspecific symptoms such as bowel and bladder complaints, emission of pain in the legs, vegetative concomitants like vomiting, emesis, gastric disorders, headaches, dizziness, painful ovulation, irregular pelvic pain, lower back pain, chronic fatigue (Tab. I) could be the reason for that. This leads to a misunderstanding of the situation and often to the incorrect diagnosis. Gynecologists should have a

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Introduction Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) affects between 3.8% and 37% of all endometriosis patients, mostly affecting rectovaginal septum or retrocervical space and characterized by the severe endometriosis-related complaints. Nowadays, generally managed with surgery. However, this is associated with a risk of postoperative complications. To better evaluate intra-and postoperative complications and outcomes for rectovaginal (RVE) and retrocervical endometriosis (RCE), the preoperative management should be accurately described and compared. Methodology This is a cohort retrospective study performed at the Endometriosis Centre of Charité-University Clinic, Berlin. 34 patients were investigated in their reproductive age, n = 19 with RVE and n = 15 RCE, operated between 2011 and 2015. The surgical approach was divergent in both groups. Single laparoscopy was performed in RCE patients (RCEP) and vaginal assisted laparoscopy in RVE patients (RVEP). Long-term postoperative outcome included complications, fertility rate and recurrence rate. Results The median follow-up time was three years (y). Symptom-free status was revealed in n = 12 RVEP and n = 9 RCEP. Postoperatively, endometriosis-related complaints were presented in n = 7 RVEP and n = 6 RCEP, but with significant pain relief. From n = 8 RVE patients seeking fertility, pregnancy occurred in n = 7 and from n = 9 RCEP pregnancy appeared in n = 5 patients in the meantime of 6 months. Postoperative complications were reported in n = 1 RVEP with early postoperative bleeding, after ureter leakage and n = 1 RCEP with postoperative anastomotic insufficiency. The postoperative recurrence rate was equivalent to zero. Conclusion The appropriate surgical approach for each group, preserving anatomy and functionality of the organs, seems to be very essential and efficient.