F Terracciano1, G Scalisi2, V Attino3, G Biscaglia1. 1. U.O.C. Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, IRRCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. 2. U.O. Digestive Endoscopy, Policlinico G. Martino, Messina, Italy. 3. U.O. Pathological Anatomy, IRRCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a common chronic gynaecological disease affecting 10 % of women of reproductive age. Of these 5-12 % may present bowel endometriosis that may be asymptomatic or associated with aspecific symptoms even bowel obstruction. CASE PRESENTATION: The case of a 41-year-old woman with history of ulcerative colitis, previous diagnosis of ovarian endometriosis, recurrent abdominal pain not related to the menstrual cycle, with abdominal pain and obstinate constipation for 2 weeks was referred. The patient underwent colonoscopy, transabdominal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy to have a diagnosis. DISCUSSION: Endometriosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of every woman of childbearing age who presents with gastrointestinal or abdominal symptoms. As demonstrated in our case and by the burgeoning literature in this field, we believe that the role of transabdominal ultrasound should be reconsidered in the management of abdominal diseases because this examination associated with ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy allows, in expert hands, to obtain adequate histological samples avoiding patients to undergo more invasive tests to get a diagnosis.
INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a common chronic gynaecological disease affecting 10 % of women of reproductive age. Of these 5-12 % may present bowel endometriosis that may be asymptomatic or associated with aspecific symptoms even bowel obstruction. CASE PRESENTATION: The case of a 41-year-old woman with history of ulcerative colitis, previous diagnosis of ovarian endometriosis, recurrent abdominal pain not related to the menstrual cycle, with abdominal pain and obstinate constipation for 2 weeks was referred. The patient underwent colonoscopy, transabdominal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy to have a diagnosis. DISCUSSION: Endometriosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of every woman of childbearing age who presents with gastrointestinal or abdominal symptoms. As demonstrated in our case and by the burgeoning literature in this field, we believe that the role of transabdominal ultrasound should be reconsidered in the management of abdominal diseases because this examination associated with ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy allows, in expert hands, to obtain adequate histological samples avoiding patients to undergo more invasive tests to get a diagnosis.
Authors: Ilario de Sio; Annalisa Funaro; Luigi Maria Vitale; Marco Niosi; Giampiero Francica; Alessandro Federico; Dolores Sgambato; Carmelina Loguercio; Marco Romano Journal: Dig Liver Dis Date: 2013-05-24 Impact factor: 4.088