title: Ileocecal endometriosis: clinical and pathogenetic implications of an underdiagnosed condition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review our experience with surgical treatment of ileocecal endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary university hospital in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight consecutive patients with infiltrating ileocecal endometriosis operated on between 2003 and 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  All of the women underwent laparotomic ileocecal or cecal resection and had radical treatment of rectovaginal endometriosis as well.
  
  
  METHODS
  Long-term relief of pelvic pain, constipation, and dyschezia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no postoperative intestinal complications. At a mean ± SD follow-up of 106 ± 10 months, all of the patients reported significant improvement of pelvic pain and bowel symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infiltrating ileocecal endometriosis requiring bowel resection was associated in all cases with infiltrating rectovaginal endometriosis, possibly reflecting a common pathogenesis. A thorough clinical evaluation of women with rectovaginal endometriosis might allow an improvement in the difficult preoperative diagnosis of ileocecal endometriosis. Our data support the long-term efficacy of the radical surgical resection of associated ileocecal and rectovaginal endometriotic lesions in reducing pelvic pain, constipation, and dyschezia.
authors.affiliation: "Luigi Mangiagalli" Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Fondazione Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.affiliation: "Luigi Mangiagalli" Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Fondazione Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: nicola.berlanda@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Berlanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathology, Mellino Mellini Hospital, Chiari (Brescia), Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gazzano
authors.affiliation: "Luigi Mangiagalli" Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Fondazione Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.affiliation: "Luigi Mangiagalli" Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Fondazione Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vercellini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002432:Cecum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Bowel endometriosis; ileocecal endometriosis; pelvic pain; rectovaginal endometriosis