title: Intestinal occlusion caused by endometriosis of the sigmoid colon.
abstract: Endometriosis (E) is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disorder that is observed in approximately 10% of women in childbearing age, and is the most common benign gynecological disorder requiring hospitalization. In 5% of cases, there is an involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, for the most part of the sigmoid colon and rectum (~ 90%). However intestinal obstruction due to severe stenosis of the sigmoid colon, as in the case described by the authors, is rare. The differential diagnosis should include cancer, inflammatory diseases and actinic colitis which has a similar clinical picture to E. Surgical treatment - resection and anastomosis or conservative procedures - provides better results especially when a multidisciplinary approach is used (colorectal surgeon, gynecologist, urologist). The authors report a case of obstruction of the sigmoid colon due to endometriosis and analyze the pathophysiology, diagnosis and surgical management of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sciennze Anestesiologiche, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Italia. giovanni.conzo@unina2.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conzo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Docimo
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Candela
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Della Pietra
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mauriello
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000150:complications*