Radical excision of inguinal endometriosis.
BACKGROUND
The diagnosis of inguinal endometriosis can be complex, and patients are often first operated by a general surgeon for a hernia. We present five cases of inguinal endometriosis in which primary surgery resulted in recurrence and a second correct procedure resulted in a cure.


METHODS
Five patients with inguinal endometriosis, operated between 1996 and 2002, were seen for the recurrence of symptoms. All underwent excision of the extraperitoneal portion of the round ligament and pelvic exploration. In all cases, both pelvic and round ligament endometriosic lesions were confirmed at histology. No complications or recurrence of inguinal endometriosis occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
The complete excision of inguinal endometriosis must also include the extraperitoneal portion of the round ligament.
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Neonatology, Fondazione Policlinico-Mangiagalli-Regina Elena, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. luigi.fedele@unimi.it
Luigi
L
Fedele
Stefano
S
Bianchi
Giada
G
Frontino
Giovanni
G
Zanconato
Tommaso
T
Rubino
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007264:Inguinal Canal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012404:Round Ligament of Uterus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome