title: Rectal obstruction due to endometriosis: A case report and review of the Japanese literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal obstructive endometriosis is relatively rare in Japan and its differentiation from malignancy is often difficult. We report a case of rectal obstructive endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 37-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a suspected ileus. Her chief symptoms were left lower abdominal pain and vomiting. Colonoscopy showed an intraluminal mass of redness in the upper rectum. A proctectomy was performed because of the bowel obstruction. The rectum was filled with an intraluminal mass measuring 5cm×4cm, and endometriosis was diagnosed pathologically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A preoperative diagnosis of colorectal obstructive endometriosis is often difficult because of the lack of definite diagnostic, clinical, sonographic, or radiological findings that are characteristic of this disease. Medical treatment is not always effective for colorectal obstructive endometriosis, and surgery is often performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Colorectal obstructive endometriosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases of various gastrointestinal symptoms in women who are of reproductive age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seiwa Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. Electronic address: areimi66@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shohei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seiwa Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Danjo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Seiwa Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seiwa Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seiwa Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seiwa Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Seiwa Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimimoto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishihara
keywords: Hormonal therapy; Rectal endometriosis; Rectal obstruction; Surgery