Endometriosis: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

The Nurse practitioner · 1997 · vol. 22(10) , pp. 35–8, 40 · PMID:9355116 · W2415264209
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Endometriosis, the growth of uterine tissue outside the uterus, causes pain and infertility in women and is treated by reducing estrogen and menstrual cycling.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is the presence of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity, most commonly surrounding the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It is relatively common disorder in reproductive-age women and is associated with significant pain and morbidity. In most cases, the spread of extrauterine endometrial tissue appears to result from retrograde menstruation and capillary or lymph dissemination. Endometrial cells implanted ectopically respond to cyclical changes in estrogen and progesterone with proliferation and secretion. Their presence in extrauterine areas can initiate immune and inflammatory responses that lead to pain and peritoneal adhesions, and may interfere with fertility. Diagnosis is based on the occurrence of cyclical symptoms and surgical validation via laparoscopy or laparotomy. Treatment is aimed at alleviating pain and preventing complications. Most treatments work by reducing estrogen levels and/or menstrual cycling. A primary practitioner must understand not only the medical aspects of this disease, but the enormous social and psychologic costs as well.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Adolescent Adult Female Humans Infertility Infertility Menstruation Disturbances Menstruation Disturbances Middle Aged Patient Education as Topic

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 (8)

SciLite annotations

organisms 1
noordeloos 2009062
chemicals 3
estrogen progesterone estrogen

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