Urinary Tract Injury During a Laparoscopy for Endometriosis

The ureters are the urine tubes going from the kidneys to the bladder. Bladder and ureter injuries are rare with a laparoscopy for endometriosis, occurring only 3 to 5 times per 1,000 cases. These include perforation and thermal injuries. In most cases, these injuries are treated with the placement of a plastic tube, called a catheter, into the bladder for seven to ten days along with antibiotics. In rare cases, these injuries require switching to an open operation. This operation involves a urologist placing thin tubes, called stents, into the ureters. Another possibility with these injuries is a repeat laparoscopic surgery at a future time. Sometimes, an injury may not appear at the time of the operation, but may show up later. This may require another surgery to repair the damage.