Rectal Endometriosis: A Case Report of with a Clinical Analysis of Other Cases Reported in Related Korean Literature / 대한소화기내시경학회지

ABSTRACT

Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is seen in 3~34% of patients affected by this condition. Although the commonest sites involved are the sigmoid colon and rectum, only 4 cases have been reported in Korea. The most frequent symptoms are lower abdominal and pelvic pain typically worsening at the time of menstruation. Bleeding per rectum is uncommon since the mucosa is rarely involved. Endoscopy has not been thought to be helpful in the evaluation of patients with suspected colonic endometriosis. However, endoscopy is often used as the first test in patients with rectal bleeding, excluding malignancy or other sources of bleeding. There are few reports of endoscopic documentation of colorectal endometriosis. A 26 year-old woman having a history of endometriosis with cyclic hematochezia and lower abdominal pain is herein reported. A flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed a protrusion of hyperemic mucosa with a surrounding fold formation on the rectum 8 cm above the anal verge. The subsequent biopsy of the lesion gave rise to a diagnosis of endometriosis.