Endometriosis of the abdominal wall.
Endometriosis is ectopic endometrial tissue that responds to hormonal stimulation and is found 8-15 per cent of all menstruating women. Endometrioma in/or close to a surgical scar is rare and occurs in 0.1 per cent of women who underwent cesarean section. When localized at the abdominal wall, the disease presents as a painful swelling resembling other lesions, such as hernias, post-operative ventral hernias, hematomas, granulomas, abscesses, and tumors. Endometriosis of the abdominal wall may not be considered in the differential diagnosis of masses detected in/or close cesarean scar. Three cases are reported here. All of them underwent surgery and the error of the pre-operative diagnosis was revealed by histology in two cases. Actually, only one case was suspected pre-operatively.
Rulli
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F
Department of Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. rulli@med.uniroma2.it
Pacella
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A
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D014463:Ultrasonography