Spontaneous abdominal wall endometriosis: a case report.
Th S Papavramidis1, K Sapalidis, N Michalopoulos
13rd Department of Surgery, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. papavramidis@hotmail.com
Acta Chirurgica Belgica
|February 27, 2010
Summary
Spontaneous abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) is a rare condition where endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus without prior scarring. Surgical excision is the primary treatment, offering a good prognosis with no recurrence observed in this case.
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- General Surgery
Background:
- Endometriosis involves endometrial tissue outside the uterus.
- Spontaneous abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) occurs without prior surgical scars.
- AWE is an extrapelvic manifestation of endometriosis, posing diagnostic challenges for general surgeons.
Observation:
- A 28-year-old woman presented with a painful left lower quadrant abdominal mass with cyclic symptoms.
- Initial diagnosis was lipoma; surgical exploration revealed two masses.
- Pathology confirmed ectopic endometrial glands and stroma, consistent with spontaneous AWE.
Findings:
- Spontaneous AWE is rare, comprising 20% of all AWE cases.
- The triad of mass, pain, and cyclic symptoms aids diagnosis but is not always present.
- Surgical excision is the definitive treatment for spontaneous AWE.
Implications:
- Early diagnosis and surgical management of spontaneous AWE are crucial.
- Complete excision ensures disease resolution and prevents recurrence.
- This case highlights the importance of considering endometriosis in extrapelvic presentations.
