Near-infrared Fluorescence Imaging as a Supportive Tool for Localisation of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis During Laparoscopy

Overview

The aim of the study is to establish a new and more accurate method to visualize the peritoneal changes caused by endometriosis using Indocyanine Green mediated fluorescence imaging. The hypothesis is that Indocyanine Green, a fluorescent dye that has wide applications throughout medicine in identifying vascularity of tissues and neovascularization, could facilitate the localization and excision of endometriotic lesions exploiting the hypervascularization due to the chronic inflammation

Patients were recruited within the clinical routine after indication for laparoscopy under consideration of the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The first abdominal and pelvi's inspection was made using direct laparoscope visualization under white light conditions. All areas suspected of peritoneal endometriosis were classified as white, black and red lesions and recorded together with their anatomic location in the surgical record for the purposes of subsequent extirpation. After the first visual inspection the patient was administered with 0.05 - 0.25 mg /(kg BW) Indocyanine Green intravenously. The Indocyanine Green imaging mode of the Olympus Indocyanine Green Imaging System was activated and suspected areas in Indocyanine Green imaging mode were recorded with their corresponding appearance in white light mode. If suspected areas were visible either in white light or Indocyanine Green imaging mode, specific sample has been taken from these areas. In addition control biopsy specimens from inconspicuous peritoneum has been taken.

Conditions