Pathology of Endometriosis

A B Gerbie, Albert B. Gerbie, J A Merrill, James A. Merrill
Clinical obstetrics and gynecology · 1988 · vol. 31(4) , pp. 779–786 · doi:10.1097/00003081-198812000-00004 · PMID:3067926 · W2076887323
review OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 16 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

Endometriosis presents as varied lesions with endometrial tissue, hemorrhage, and inflammation, often unrecognized early, with advanced stages showing only residual macrophages and fibrous tissue.

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Abstract

In summary, endometriosis is a protean pathologic entity of uncertain nature and etiology, occurring commonly in the pelvis and rarely in remote sites. The lesions are characterized by gross and microscopic evidence of endometrium, past and present hemorrhage, inflammatory response, scarring, and dense adhesions. Electron microscopic evaluation suggests that early lesions are more common than appreciated, often retroperitoneal, and not clinically recognized. The diagnosis is established by the identification of microscopic foci of endometrium, although often the end stage reveals only hemosiderin-laden macrophages, foreign body giant cells, and proliferation of fibrous connective tissue. The presence of endometriosis alters the biology of the pelvic peritoneum in ways not universally agreed upon, but which undoubtedly influence the clinical manifestation of the disease.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Ovarian Neoplasms Pelvic Neoplasms Uterine Neoplasms Endometriosis Female Humans Ovarian Neoplasms Pelvic Neoplasms Uterine Neoplasms

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

Cited by (16)

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