Endometriosis in an inguinal crural hernia. Diagnosis by fine needle aspiration biopsy.

The fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy findings of endometriosis is an inguinal crural hernia in a 40-year-old woman are presented. The cytologic findings were similar to those previously reported in aspirates of solid endometriosis in other sites: nonatypical, small, epithelial groups in an inflammatory and proteinaceous background. The cytologic diagnosis of a benign epithelial lesion, possibly endometriosis, was confirmed by histologic study of the extirpated mass. This case shows that endometriosis must be included in the differential diagnosis of FNA samples of palpable lesions of the groin in women of reproductive age.