Intestinal endometriosis: The great masquerader

Suzanne M Skoog, Amy E Foxx-Orenstein, Amy E. Foxx–Orenstein, Michael J Levy, Elizabeth Rajan, Donna R Session
Current gastroenterology reports · 2004 · vol. 6(5) , pp. 405–409 · doi:10.1007/s11894-004-0058-6 · PMID:15341718 · W1973599142
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06+body, 2026-06-12 ⓘ

Intestinal endometriosis, though often asymptomatic, can present with symptoms mimicking irritable bowel syndrome and requires careful consideration for diagnosis.

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This narrative review discusses how chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in women can lead clinicians to consider a broad differential such as irritable bowel syndrome, infection, malabsorption, and inflammatory bowel disease, and emphasizes that endometriosis can also involve the intestinal tract. It describes that intestinal endometriosis is often asymptomatic, but when symptoms occur they may mimic irritable bowel syndrome, making diagnosis challenging. The paper highlights that historical points and key clinical features can help identify intestinal endometriosis, with the main limitation being that it synthesizes clinical characteristics rather than providing new empirical results. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — intestinal endometriosis as a diagnostic “masquerader” that can imitate irritable bowel syndrome.

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Abstract

Chronic symptoms of abdominal pain and irregular bowel habits in women evoke a broad differential diagnosis including irritable bowel syndrome, infection, malabsorption, and inflammatory bowel disease. Endometriosis, a common disorder in young women that can involve the intestinal tract, deserves consideration as well. Intestinal endometriosis is typically asymptomatic; however, when symptoms occur, they can mimic those of irritable bowel syndrome. Identifying intestinal endometriosis can be challenging, but historical points and key clinical features aid in diagnosis. Similar content being viewed by others

References

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Intestinal Diseases Diagnosis, Differential Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Intestinal Diseases Intestinal Diseases

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