title: Intestinal obstruction due to rectal endometriosis.
abstract: We report a case of a premenopausal woman with severe constipation causing intermittent obstruction. Colonoscopy revealed a tight rectal stricture; however, mucosal biopsies were normal. Exploratory surgery revealed an intense fibrotic reaction involving the rectum and uterus, necessitating a simultaneous low anterior resection and hysterectomy. Pathology established a diagnosis of endometriosis. Preoperative diagnosis of rectal endometriosis can be difficult to establish. Endometrial deposits do not invade the mucosa; therefore, colonoscopy with biopsies are frequently non-diagnostic. Surgery may be the only definitive way to obtain a certain diagnosis. In cases involving rectal strictures of unknown etiology in premenopausal women, rectal endometriosis must be included in the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Facility, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paksoy
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karabiçak
authors.forename: Fadil
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ayan
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aydoğan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000473:pathology*