Uterine cyst as a cause of chronic pelvic pain: a case report

Cystic adenomyosis is a rare form of adenomyosis. Presently, these cysts are generally considered to be of a benign nature and result from cyclical response to menstrual dynamics.

A 31-year-old, African-American female presented for a second opinion with a chief complaint of pelvic pain. She had recently undergone an exploratory laparoscopy with findings suggestive of endometriosis. She was never pregnant and had been taking oral contraceptive pills for over 3 months with little relief This patient had no history of uterine surgery. Pelvic ultrasound performed after her surgery revealed a cystic structure, homogeneously echogenic in the anterior corpus of the uterus, measuring 2.7 x 2.4 x 3.5 cm. This structure appeared consistent with an adenomyotic cyst. The patient's symptoms improved after the transvaginal aspiration, and she no longer required narcotics.

Of all the possibilities considered, this cyst most closely resembled an adenomyotic cyst in its clinical presentation, location within the myometrium and gross appearance of the chocolate cyst fluid. Imaging is key in distinguishing this process from other congenital and acquired gynecologic entities. Awareness of this condition is important for timely and accurate diagnosis followed by appropriate intervention.