Histologic study of peritoneal endometriosis in infertile women.
The present study included 118 patients undergoing a laparoscopy for infertility. In 86 patients with laparoscopically diagnosed endometriosis (group I), biopsies were taken from areas of apparent endometriosis (n = 86) and from a visually normal peritoneum (n = 52). Histology reveals the presence of endometriosis in 93% of positive sites and in 13% of negative sites. In 32 patients without endometriosis at laparoscopy (group II), biopsies were taken from normal uterosacral ligaments (n = 32). Endometriosis was observed in 6% of cases. Despite the increased ability to detect pigmented and nonpigmented endometriotic lesion, histological study revealed the presence of endometriosis in normal peritoneum in 13% (group I) and 6% (group II) of cases.
Nisolle
M
M
Department of Gynecology, University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Paindaveine
B
B
Bourdon
A
A
Berlière
M
M
Casanas-Roux
F
F
Donnez
J
J
D001706:Biopsy; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*