Associated ovarian endometrioma is a marker for greater severity of deeply infiltrating endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether an associated ovarian endometrioma is a marker for severity of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE).


METHODS
Observational study between June 1992 and December 2005.


METHODS
University tertiary referral center.


METHODS
Five hundred patients with histologically assessed DIE.


METHODS
Complete surgical exeresis of deep endometriotic lesions.


METHODS
Severity of the disease was quantified according to the mean number of DIE lesions and the type of main lesion.


RESULTS
In patients with associated ovarian endometrioma, the number of single isolated DIE lesions was statistically significantly lower (41.9% vs. 61.1%). The mean number of DIE lesions was statistically significantly higher in patients presenting with an associated ovarian endometrioma (2.51 +/- 1.72 vs. 1.64 +/- 1.0). For patients with associated ovarian endometrioma DIE lesions were more severe with an increased rate of vaginal, intestinal, and ureteral lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
Associated ovarian endometrioma is a marker for the severity of the DIE. In a clinical context suggestive of DIE, when there is an ovarian endometrioma, the practitioner should investigate the extent of the disease to check for severe and multifocal DIE lesions.
Chapron
Charles
C
Université Paris Descartes V, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Ouest, CHU Cochin, Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique II et Médecine de la Reproduction, Paris, France. charles.chapron@cch.aphp.fr
Pietin-Vialle
Claire
C
Borghese
Bruno
B
Davy
Céline
C
Foulot
Hervé
H
Chopin
Nicolas
N
D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult