[Endometriosis: an infrequent cause of colonic obstruction]

Endometriosis localized in the intestinal wall is not an infrequent finding. Diagnosis is difficult given the diverse symptomatology presented with unspecific abdominal pain being the most common. Implantation of endometrial tissue in the intestinal wall may involve the mucosa and present as rectorhagia, with colonscopic exploration providing diagnosis by biopsy of the affected area. In other cases this may only involve the intestinal wall producing very varied symptomatology. Presentation as a picture of colon obstruction is little reported. The main problem is its difficult differential diagnosis with neoplasm which, in most cases, leads to surgery. A case of colon obstruction provoked by implantation of endometrial tissue in the wall of the sigma which was surgically resolved is herein presented.