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Endometriosis in an adolescent population: the Emory experience
1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Objective:
To determine the incidence, clinical stage, and lesion type of endometriosis in adolescent girls.
Design:
Retrospective review of patient records of adolescent girls (11-19) admitted to Emory University Affiliated Hospitals.
Setting:
Patients from a private practice institutional setting.
Patients:
67 adolescent girls who had not responded to analgesia or oral contraceptives for pelvic pain.
Information:
Laparoscopy or exploratory laparotomy to determine the etiology of pelvic pain.
Main Outcome Measure:
Stage of endometriosis by the American Fertility Society classification system and description of lesion type.
Results:
Endometriosis was diagnosed in 49 (73%) patients. The majority of patients had stage I disease. Superficial red lesions were most commonly observed.
Conclusions:
Adolescent girls with pelvic pain have a high incidence of endometriosis. Minimal disease is most often encountered. Meticulous inspection of the pelvic peritoneal surfaces will often reveal superficial or atypical lesions.