Postsalpingectomy endometriosis: a reassessment.

Sampson's concept of endosalpingiosis is reexamined in light of histologic findings in the fallopian tubes of 54 women who underwent elective sterilization and subsequent hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. It was not possible by careful examination of the proximal and distal lumens to identify islands of epithelium consistent with surviving transplanted elements of surgically fragmented tubes or proliferating tubal epithelium (endosalpingiosis). Lesions compatible with endometriosis were found in 20 of the 54 patients (22 of 106 tubes, or 21%) but could not be related to post-tubal ligation pelvic pain.