Dienogest in endometriosis treatment: A narrative literature review / 대한생식의학회지

Endometriosis is characterized by the implantation of endometrial cells outside the uterus. This hormone-dependent disease is highly prevalent among women of reproductive age. Clinical symptoms of endometriosis include dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, and infertility, which can negatively impact the overall quality of life of those affected. The medical treatment of endometriosis serves as an important therapeutic option, aimed at alleviating pain associated with the condition and suppressing the growth of endometriotic lesions. As such, it is employed as an adjuvant therapy following surgery or an empirical treatment after the clinical diagnosis of endometriosis. Dienogest, a fourth-generation progestin, has received approval for the treatment of endometriosis in many countries. A growing body of evidence has demonstrated its efficacy in managing endometriosis-associated pain, preventing symptoms, and reducing lesion recurrence. In this review, we examine the clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerability of dienogest in treating endometriosis. We also provide updated findings, drawing from clinical studies that focus on the long-term use of this medication in patients with endometriosis.

First Experience of Single-Port Robotic Areolar Approach Thyroidectomy

Objectives@#. Numerous minimally invasive thyroidectomy techniques have been developed and are actively utilized in hospitals around the globe. Herein, we describe a recently developed minimally invasive thyroidectomy technique that employs the da Vinci SP, and we present the preliminary clinical outcomes of single-port robotic areolar thyroidectomy (SPRA). @*Methods@#. A 3-cm semi-circular incision on the right areola and a small 8-mm incision on the left areola were created. Using hydro-dissection and an advanced bipolar device, a subcutaneous skin flap was created, extending from the areola to the thyroid cartilage. The da Vinci SP was then inserted through the incision in the right areola. Between December 2022 and March 2023, 21 SPRA procedures were conducted. Patients’ medical records and surgical videos were subsequently reviewed. @*Results@#. Lobectomy was performed in 17 patients, isthmectomy in 2 patients, and total thyroidectomy in 2 patients. The mean flap time was 14.9±4.2 minutes and the console time was 62.4±17.1 minutes. The mean tumor size was 0.89± 0.65 cm and the number of retrieved lymph nodes was 3.94±3.98 (range, 0–12). There were no observed instances of vocal cord palsy or hypoparathyroidism. @*Conclusion@#. We successfully developed and performed the novel SPRA for the first time worldwide. Unlike other robotic surgery methods, SPRA is less invasive and leaves no visible scars. This technique employs a sophisticated single-port robotic device. However, to assess the efficacy of this method, we need to analyze more cases and conduct comparative studies in the near future.

Anti-adhesive effect and safety of a thermosensitive adhesion barrier (Mediclore) for thyroid surgery: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial

Purpose@#Postoperative adhesions after thyroidectomy adversely affect patients’ quality of life. This study assessed the anti-adhesive effect and safety of thermosensitive sol-gel agents for patients undergoing thyroidectomy. @*Methods@#A double-blind parallel-group randomized clinical trial involving patients aged 20–70 years undergoing thyroidectomy for thyroid nodules was conducted. From August 2017 to April 2020, 90 patients were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 45, thermosensitive sol-gel agent applied to the surgical site) and control (n = 45, no treatment) groups in a 1:1 ratio. All patients were assessed using a questionnaire for swallowing difficulty, wrinkle problems, and inflammation at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after thyroid surgery. For reoperated patients, the degree of adhesion was evaluated according to the adhesion-evaluation score system (range, 0–4). @*Results@#During the follow-up period of 6.50 ± 1.38 months, the swallowing difficulty, wrinkle problem, and inflammation were improved in both groups. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the control and experimental groups related to swallowing difficulty, wrinkle problems, and inflammation. Two patients in the control group and 1 in the experimental group who underwent reoperation had an adhesion-evaluation score of 3 points. There were no adverse effects or allergic reactions. @*Conclusion@#A thermosensitive sol-gel agent can be safely used as an anti-adhesive barrier. However, this study did not reveal its efficacy for postoperative adhesions. A more objective and systematic study is required in the future.

What is the link between endometriosis and adiposity?

Endometriosis is defined by the presence of extrauterine endometrial tissue and presents with symptoms of dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and impaired fertility. This condition often follows a chronic progressive course with favorable recurrence, even after surgical or medical treatment. The etiology or exact pathophysiology of endometriosis remains to be clarified, although it is thought to be a complex and multifactorial disease. Prior epidemiological or population-based studies have reported several risk factors related to endometriosis, such as environmental, menstrual, habitual, and lifestyle factors. Moreover, anthropometry has been found to be significantly associated with the diagnosis of endometriosis, as a lower body mass index is associated with an elevated risk of endometriosis. Here, we review studies that have examined the association between body size and the risk of endometriosis and discuss the clinical and biological significance of the relationship between adiposity and endometriosis.

Contraception in the COVID-19 pandemic: recommendations from the Korean society of contraception and reproductive health

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a systemic inflammatory response that activates coagulation in symptomatic patients. In addition, a rare form of thrombosis has been reported in people who received the COVID-19 vaccine, most of whom were women younger than 50 years of age. Considering that hormonal contraceptive methods widely used by women of childbearing age increase the risk of thrombosis, the development of guidelines for the use of hormonal contraceptives in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic is necessary. In this context, the Korean Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health provides guidelines for issues regarding contraception and reproductive health during the pandemic.

Incidence, Disability, and Mortality in Patients With Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Korea:A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Background@#and Purpose This study aimed to identify the epidemiological features of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in the Korean population. @*Methods@#Patients with GBS were defined as those who were hospitalized with a primary diagnostic code of G61.0 on the Korean Classification of Disease in a department of neurology, rehabilitation medicine, or pediatrics. We evaluated the incidence and prevalence of GBS as well as physical disability, mortality, and cause of death in patients with GBS from 2002 to 2018 in the Korean population using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. @*Results@#We identified 11,146 patients with GBS. The ratio of males to females was 1.48. The age-adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 persons increased steadily from 0.84 in 2002 to 1.68 in 2018, as did the age-adjusted prevalence rate per 100,000 persons, from 0.77 to 15.62. The incidence and prevalence of GBS increased with age, peaking at 70–79 years. Among 10,114 patients without physical disability at the time of GBS being diagnosed, 502 (5.0%) patients had moderate disability and 526 (5.2%) had severe disability by the end of the study period.A total of 1,221 (11.0%) patients with GBS died during the mean follow-up period of 17 years (2002–2019). There were 144 (1.3%) in-hospital deaths. @*Conclusions@#This was the first nationwide epidemiological study of patients with GBS covering the entire population including patients of all ages in the Republic of Korea. We have revealed the seasonality of admissions, disability, and long-term mortality rates in patients with GBS.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism due to multiple parathyroid carcinomas in a patient with chronic hemodialysis: a case report / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) in cases of secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism is relatively uncommon, and only a few case reports have described this entity. Although some papers have reported patients with one or two parathyroid malignancies, multiple PC–especially three or more–have been even more rarely reported. Herein, we report a case of secondary hyperparathyroidism due to multiple PCs in a chronic hemodialysis patient. A 54-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease was referred for hyperparathyroidism. He had been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2001 and had begun hemodialysis in 2009. In laboratory tests, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) was markedly elevated to 1,144.1 pg/mL (normal range: 15.0–68.3 pg/mL) and serum calcium was mildly elevated to 10.56 mg/dL (normal range: 8.5–10.3 mg/dL). Ultrasonography showed hypoechoic nodules in the posterior part of both thyroid glands. All three nodules showed increased uptake on a 99mTc sestamibi scan. The patient underwent total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation to the right forearm. Histopathology findings showed three PCs with capsular invasion and one parathyroid hyperplasia. In the immediate postoperative period, the iPTH level dropped from 1,446.8 to 82.4 pg/dL and, after 1 month, to 4.0 pg/dL. This patient needed oral calcium carbonate and active vitamin D to maintain appropriate serum calcium levels. Although multiple PCs are rare, they can cause secondary hyperparathyroidism. Therefore, clinicians should suspect multiple PCs when patients’ serum iPTH levels are exceptionally high. Additionally, since PCs could occur in multiple glands, autotransplantation of the parathyroid gland after parathyroidectomy should be done carefully.

Initial Experience With Robotic Modified Radical Neck Dissection Using the da Vinci Xi System Through the Bilateral Axillo-Breast Approach

Objectives@#. The bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) to robotic thyroidectomy has been extended to modified radical neck dissection (MRND). This study assessed outcomes in patients who underwent robotic MRND through BABA using the da Vinci Xi system. @*Methods@#. The medical records of 40 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, bilateral central neck dissection, and MRND from September 2018 to March 2020 were reviewed retrospectively, including 12 who underwent robotic surgery and 28 who underwent open surgery. All operations were performed by a single endocrine surgeon. @*Results@#. The operation time was significantly longer in the robotic group than in the open group (277.08±32.64 vs. 191.43± 60.43 minutes, respectively, P<0.01), but the number of retrieved lymph nodes did not differ significantly (32.58± 9.31 vs. 34.54±10.90, respectively, P=0.569). The incidence of transient hypoparathyroidism was significantly lower in the robotic group (16.7% [2/12] vs. 53.6% [15/28], P=0.041). The mean hospital stay was shorter (3.92±0.90 vs. 4.71±1.63 days) and the pain score on the first postoperative day was lower (2.92±0.29 vs. 3.18±0.67) in the robotic group. Six of the 12 patients (50%) in the robotic group had stimulated thyroglobulin levels <1.0 ng/mL. @*Conclusion@#. Robotic MRND through BABA has several advantages, including excellent cosmetic outcomes and a lower incidence of transient hypoparathyroidism than is the case for open MRND. Robotic MRND through BABA may be a promising surgical approach compared with conventional open MRND.

Machine Learning Approaches to Identify Factors Associated with Women's Vasomotor Symptoms Using General Hospital Data

Background@#To analyze the factors associated with women's vasomotor symptoms (VMS) using machine learning. @*Methods@#Data on 3,298 women, aged 40–80 years, who attended their general health check-up from January 2010 to December 2012 were obtained from Korea University Anam Hospital in Seoul, Korea. Five machine learning methods were applied and compared for the prediction of VMS, measured by the Menopause Rating Scale. Variable importance, the effect of a variable on model performance, was used for identifying the major factors associated with VMS. @*Results@#In terms of the mean squared error, the random forest (0.9326) was much better than linear regression (12.4856) and artificial neural networks with one, two, and three hidden layers (1.5576, 1.5184, and 1.5833, respectively). Based on the variable importance from the random forest, the most important factors associated with VMS were age, menopause age, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and monocyte, triglyceride, gamma glutamyl transferase, blood urea nitrogen, cancer antigen 19-9, C-reactive protein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Indeed, the following variables were ranked within the top 20 in terms of variable importance: cancer antigen 125, total cholesterol, insulin, free thyroxine, forced vital capacity, alanine aminotransferase, forced expired volume in 1 second, height, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and carcinoembryonic antigen. @*Conclusion@#Machine learning provides an invaluable decision support system for the prediction of VMS. For managing VMS, comprehensive consideration is needed regarding thyroid function, lipid profile, liver function, inflammation markers, insulin resistance, monocyte count, cancer antigens, and lung function.

Branchial Cleft Cyst Mimicking Malignant Thyroid Neoplasm Concurrent with Medullary and Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: a Case Report

Branchial cleft cysts are the most common lateral neck mass, and usually have well-delineated cystic structures under ultrasonography. Ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration cytology is very helpful during preoperative diagnosis. However, these cysts may occur in unusual locations and have a sonographic morphology similar to malignant thyroid neoplasm. A 61-year-old woman presented with thyroid nodules, and ultrasonography revealed a 0.8-cm, hypoechoic, solid nodule with microcalcifications in the right lobe of thyroid in the lower portion.Postoperative histopathological examination revealed the 0.8-cm hypoechoic nodule to be a branchial cleft cyst. In addition, concurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) were found. Herein, we present a rare case of branchial cleft cyst mimicking malignant thyroid neoplasm concurrent with medullary and PTC.

Machine Learning Approaches to Identify Factors Associated with Women's Vasomotor Symptoms Using General Hospital Data

Background@#To analyze the factors associated with women's vasomotor symptoms (VMS) using machine learning. @*Methods@#Data on 3,298 women, aged 40–80 years, who attended their general health check-up from January 2010 to December 2012 were obtained from Korea University Anam Hospital in Seoul, Korea. Five machine learning methods were applied and compared for the prediction of VMS, measured by the Menopause Rating Scale. Variable importance, the effect of a variable on model performance, was used for identifying the major factors associated with VMS. @*Results@#In terms of the mean squared error, the random forest (0.9326) was much better than linear regression (12.4856) and artificial neural networks with one, two, and three hidden layers (1.5576, 1.5184, and 1.5833, respectively). Based on the variable importance from the random forest, the most important factors associated with VMS were age, menopause age, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and monocyte, triglyceride, gamma glutamyl transferase, blood urea nitrogen, cancer antigen 19-9, C-reactive protein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Indeed, the following variables were ranked within the top 20 in terms of variable importance: cancer antigen 125, total cholesterol, insulin, free thyroxine, forced vital capacity, alanine aminotransferase, forced expired volume in 1 second, height, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and carcinoembryonic antigen. @*Conclusion@#Machine learning provides an invaluable decision support system for the prediction of VMS. For managing VMS, comprehensive consideration is needed regarding thyroid function, lipid profile, liver function, inflammation markers, insulin resistance, monocyte count, cancer antigens, and lung function.

Branchial Cleft Cyst Mimicking Malignant Thyroid Neoplasm Concurrent with Medullary and Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: a Case Report

Branchial cleft cysts are the most common lateral neck mass, and usually have well-delineated cystic structures under ultrasonography. Ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration cytology is very helpful during preoperative diagnosis. However, these cysts may occur in unusual locations and have a sonographic morphology similar to malignant thyroid neoplasm. A 61-year-old woman presented with thyroid nodules, and ultrasonography revealed a 0.8-cm, hypoechoic, solid nodule with microcalcifications in the right lobe of thyroid in the lower portion.Postoperative histopathological examination revealed the 0.8-cm hypoechoic nodule to be a branchial cleft cyst. In addition, concurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) were found. Herein, we present a rare case of branchial cleft cyst mimicking malignant thyroid neoplasm concurrent with medullary and PTC.

Initial Experience of Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Using Bilateral Axillary Breast and Transoral Vestibular Approach in Georgia

Purpose@#Remote access thyroid surgery using a bilateral axillary breast approach (BABA) or a transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) are increasingly performed worldwide. In the Caucasus, these methods were first applied in the Republic of Georgia. This study compares these two methods of endoscopic thyroid surgery performed on patients in a tertiary hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia. @*Methods@#Between December 2015 and January 2018, 41 patients underwent endoscopic thyroid surgery at the Aversi Clinic, including 32 who underwent BABA endoscopic thyroidectomy for benign nodules and nine who underwent TOETVA for thyroid cancers. Patients’ medical records were retrospectively reviewed. @*Results@#Tumors were significantly larger (2.38±0.38 cm versus 1.70±0.31 cm, p value <0.001), operation time was significantly longer (177.66±21.02 min versus 116.66±5.59 min, p value <0.001), and blood loss was significantly greater (149.07±28.10 ml versus 102.22±8.33 ml, p value <0.001) in patients who underwent BABA than TOETVA. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications between the two groups. @*Conclusion@#Remote access thyroid surgery, either BABA or TOETVA, was successfully started, without harmful complications, at the Aversi Clinic in Tbilisi, Georgia. BABA is suitable for large sized benign nodules and TOETVA for thyroid cancers with central lymph node dissection.

Vasomotor Symptoms: More Than Temporary Menopausal Symptoms

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), such as hot flashes and night sweating, are classic menopausal symptoms experienced by a majority of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. VMS have received a great deal of attention due to their relationship with cardiometabolic risk. Further, accumulating evidence indicates that VMS are associated with an increased risk of several chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, and osteoporosis in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. These findings suggest VMS as biomarkers of impaired cardiometabolic conditions rather than just temporary symptoms in menopausal women, warranting further studies to confirm the casual relationship of VMS with these diseases and the exact underlying mechanism in this context.

Comparative study of bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic and robotic thyroidectomy: propensity score matching analysis of large multi-institutional data

Purpose@#The aim of this study was to compare the large multi-institutional data of surgical outcomes of bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) robotic (RT) and endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) and to evaluate the merits of robotic thyroidectomy. @*Methods@#From 2004 to 2015, 1,029 patients underwent BABA ET, and from 2008 to 2015, 2003 patients underwent BABA RT in 3 large volume centers in Korea. Two groups were retrospectively compared in terms of clinicopathologic characteristics, complications, surgical completeness, and long-term outcomes using propensity score matching analysis. @*Results@#Both groups had similar demographic characteristics including age, sex, tumor size, pathologic stage, and hospital stay after matching. Each group had similar rate of transient hypoparathyroidism, however, ET showed significantly higher rate of permanent hypoparathyroidism (ET 5.2% vs. RT 2.3%, P = 0.05), and transient vocal cord palsy (ET 14.4% vs. RT 9.1%, P = 0.006). Total operation time was longer in the ET group irrespective of surgical extents, including lobectomy (P = 0.016), total thyroidectomy (P = 0.031), and total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection (P = 0.019). The rate of patients with off-Tg under 1.0 ng/mL after 1st ablation was significantly higher in RT than ET group (ET 64.6% vs. RT 92.7%, P < 0.001). In long-term follow-up of cancer patients, 1.4% experienced recurrence after ET (10 cases), while 0.3% cases experienced recurrence after RT (5 cases) (P < 0.001). @*Conclusion@#Both ET and RT can be safe and effective methods to treat thyroid diseases. However, the application of robotic system may help to overcome the limitations of the instruments and surgeon’s skills.

Vasomotor Symptoms: More Than Temporary Menopausal Symptoms

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), such as hot flashes and night sweating, are classic menopausal symptoms experienced by a majority of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. VMS have received a great deal of attention due to their relationship with cardiometabolic risk. Further, accumulating evidence indicates that VMS are associated with an increased risk of several chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, and osteoporosis in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. These findings suggest VMS as biomarkers of impaired cardiometabolic conditions rather than just temporary symptoms in menopausal women, warranting further studies to confirm the casual relationship of VMS with these diseases and the exact underlying mechanism in this context.

Comparative study of bilateral axillo-breast approach endoscopic and robotic thyroidectomy: propensity score matching analysis of large multi-institutional data

Purpose@#The aim of this study was to compare the large multi-institutional data of surgical outcomes of bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) robotic (RT) and endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) and to evaluate the merits of robotic thyroidectomy. @*Methods@#From 2004 to 2015, 1,029 patients underwent BABA ET, and from 2008 to 2015, 2003 patients underwent BABA RT in 3 large volume centers in Korea. Two groups were retrospectively compared in terms of clinicopathologic characteristics, complications, surgical completeness, and long-term outcomes using propensity score matching analysis. @*Results@#Both groups had similar demographic characteristics including age, sex, tumor size, pathologic stage, and hospital stay after matching. Each group had similar rate of transient hypoparathyroidism, however, ET showed significantly higher rate of permanent hypoparathyroidism (ET 5.2% vs. RT 2.3%, P = 0.05), and transient vocal cord palsy (ET 14.4% vs. RT 9.1%, P = 0.006). Total operation time was longer in the ET group irrespective of surgical extents, including lobectomy (P = 0.016), total thyroidectomy (P = 0.031), and total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection (P = 0.019). The rate of patients with off-Tg under 1.0 ng/mL after 1st ablation was significantly higher in RT than ET group (ET 64.6% vs. RT 92.7%, P < 0.001). In long-term follow-up of cancer patients, 1.4% experienced recurrence after ET (10 cases), while 0.3% cases experienced recurrence after RT (5 cases) (P < 0.001). @*Conclusion@#Both ET and RT can be safe and effective methods to treat thyroid diseases. However, the application of robotic system may help to overcome the limitations of the instruments and surgeon’s skills.

Transoral endoscopic surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma: initial experiences of a single surgeon in South Korea

PURPOSE: The transoral endoscopic thyroid surgery vestibular approach (TOETVA) is one of the newest techniques which do not result in an anterior neck scar. We report herein our initial experience with TOETVA and its short-term outcomes in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). METHODS: This case series consisted of all consecutive patients who underwent TOETVA in our institution between August 2016 and June 2017. Indications for TOETVA were an fine needle aspiration-confirmed PTC or follicular neoplasm, an intrathyroidal tumor with a diameter of less than 2 cm, and no clinical evidence of central or lateral lymph node metastasis. A total of 20 patients underwent TOETVA and we retrospectively reviewed clinicopathologic data and short-term postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: Among the 20 TOETVA cases, 7 were total thyroidectomy, 12 were lobectomy and 1 was wide isthmusectomy. Mean age was 50.8 years and mean operation time was 152 ± 51.4 minutes. Tumor size ranged from 0.2–1.4 cm and the mean size of harvested central lymph nodes was 2.8 (range, 0–10). Neither mental nerve injury nor surgical site infection occurred. One patient had transient vocal cord palsy and 1 patient developed a neck seroma. Among 7 total thyroidectomy patients, 3 patients developed transient hypocalcemia. CONCLUSION: Transoral thyroid surgery could be an alternative surgical option for some PTC patients.

Preliminary study on application of augmented reality visualization in robotic thyroid surgery

PURPOSE: Increased robotic surgery is attended by increased reports of complications, largely due to limited operative view and lack of tactile sense. These kinds of obstacles, which seldom occur in open surgery, are challenging for beginner surgeons. To enhance robotic surgery safety, we created an augmented reality (AR) model of the organs around the thyroid glands, and tested the AR model applicability in robotic thyroidectomy. METHODS: We created AR images of the thyroid gland, common carotid arteries, trachea, and esophagus using preoperative CT images of a thyroid carcinoma patient. For a preliminary test, we overlaid the AR images on a 3-dimensional printed model at five different angles and evaluated its accuracy using Dice similarity coefficient. We then overlaid the AR images on the real-time operative images during robotic thyroidectomy. RESULTS: The Dice similarity coefficients ranged from 0.984 to 0.9908, and the mean of the five different angles was 0.987. During the entire process of robotic thyroidectomy, the AR images were successfully overlaid on the real-time operative images using manual registration. CONCLUSION: We successfully demonstrated the use of AR on the operative field during robotic thyroidectomy. Although there are currently limitations, the use of AR in robotic surgery will become more practical as the technology advances and may contribute to the enhancement of surgical safety.

Bone marrow-derived stem cells contribute to regeneration of the endometrium / 대한생식의학회지

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation into various cell lineages. Stem cells are responsible for the development of organs and regeneration of damaged tissues. The highly regenerative nature of the human endometrium during reproductive age suggests that stem cells play a critical role in endometrial physiology. Bone marrow-derived cells migrate to the uterus and participate in the healing and restoration of functionally or structurally damaged endometrium. This review summarizes recent research into the potential therapeutic effects of bone marrow-derived stem cells in conditions involving endometrial impairment.