Acute Small Bowel Obstruction Secondary to Intestinal Endometriosis, an Elusive Condition: a Case Report

Overview

Journal World J Emerg Surg

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty General Surgery

Date 2010 Sep 18

PMID 20846366

Citations 12

Authors

Alistair Ap Slesser

Sufian Sultan

Faris Kubba

David P Sellu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Endometriosis is a benign condition affecting females of reproductive age. Although intestinal endometriosis is common it is rare for the condition to manifest as an acute bowel obstruction secondary to ileocaecal and appendicular endometriosis. This case is important to report as it highlights the diagnostic difficulty this particular condition presents to an emergency surgeon.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 33 year old female of Asian origin who presented with symptoms and signs of an acute small bowel obstruction. A right hemicolectomy for suspected malignancy was performed with an ileocolic anastomosis. Histological examination demonstrated extensive endometriosis of the appendix and ileocaecal junction.

Conclusion: Enteric endometriosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis when assessing females of reproductive age with acute small bowel obstruction. A high index of suspicion is required to arrive at a diagnosis of this elusive condition.

Citing Articles

Intestinal endometriosis amongst other extra-pelvic endometriosis foci presenting as acute/subacute bowel obstruction in women of reproductive age: a retrospective case series study.

Gurluler E, Isik O, Ugras N, Sahin A, Sen M, Yilmazlar T BMC Surg. 2025; 25(1):12.

PMID: 39773490 PMC: 11706109. DOI: 10.1186/s12893-024-02755-y.

Endometriosis as an Uncommon Cause of Intestinal Obstruction-A Comprehensive Literature Review.

Musat F, Paduraru D, Bolocan A, Constantinescu A, Ion D, Andronic O J Clin Med. 2023; 12(19).

PMID: 37835020 PMC: 10573381. DOI: 10.3390/jcm12196376.

Small bowel obstruction caused by appendiceal and ileal endometriosis: a case report.

Kobayashi K, Yamadera M, Takeo H, Murayama M J Surg Case Rep. 2022; 2022(6):rjac282.

PMID: 35721264 PMC: 9200432. DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjac282.

Endometriosis of the duplex appendix: A case report and review of the literature.

Zhu M, Fei F, Chen J, Zhou Z, Wu B, Shen Y World J Clin Cases. 2019; 7(15):2094-2102.

PMID: 31423443 PMC: 6695541. DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v7.i15.2094.

Endometriosis of the appendix causing small bowel obstruction in a virgin abdomen.

Choi J, Yunaev M BMJ Case Rep. 2019; 12(7).

PMID: 31337629 PMC: 6663186. DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2019-230496.

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