Stereometric evaluation of peritoneal endometriosis and endometriotic nodules of the rectovaginal septum

Jacques Donnez, J Donnez, Michelle Nisolle, M Nisolle, F Casanas-Roux, F. Casanas‐Roux, P Brion, Philippe Brion, N.C. DaFerreira, N Da Costa Ferreira
Human Reproduction · 1996 · vol. 11(1) , pp. 224–228 · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a019024 · PMID:8671191 · W2154320004
article OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 47 in-corpus citations
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This stereometric study found significant differences in mitotic activity, vascularization, and epithelium/stroma ratio between peritoneal endometriosis and rectovaginal nodules, suggesting the latter may be a distinct disease entity.

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Abstract

A computerized morphometrical investigation was performed on endometriotic tissue from the peritoneum (n = 225) and rectovaginal nodules (n = 65) to compare histologically and stereologically the rectovaginal septum endometriotic nodule to peritoneal endometriosis. Mitotic activity, stromal vascularization and the epithelium/stroma ratio were found to be significantly different in peritoneal and rectovaginal endometriosis. The evaluation revealed a major role of glandular epithelium in rectovaginal nodules where the stroma sometimes appeared absent around glandular epithelium. The study demonstrated opposite effects of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) and lynestrenol on the two lesions. Indeed, in peritoneal endometriosis, after GnRHa therapy, our study demonstrated a lower rate of mitosis and poor stromal vascularization. The same drug was unable to induce the same effects in the nodule although, in contrast, lynestrenol has a strong effect on nodule vascularization. In conclusion, it is suggested that the rectovaginal adenomyotic nodule is a specific disease, different from peritoneal endometriosis. It is not the consequence of 'deep infiltrating' endometriosis but can probably develop from Mullerian rests present in the rectovaginal septum.

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Condition tags

endometriosisbowel_endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Peritoneum Vagina Biopsy Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Epithelium Epithelium Female Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Humans Lynestrenol Lynestrenol Mitosis Peritoneum Vagina

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.

References (25)

Cited by (47)

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