Endometriosis, need for a multidisciplinary clinical setting: the internist’s point of view

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Endometriosis presents heterogeneously and can be difficult to diagnose due to mimicing diseases, necessitating multidisciplinary care for proper evaluation and management.

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This paper discusses how endometriosis can be difficult to diagnose because its clinical presentation is heterogeneous and it can mimic or coexist with gynecologic, intestinal, and systemic conditions that may be associated with or result from endometriosis. Drawing on the internist’s perspective, the authors argue for multidisciplinary clinical settings to support correct evaluation and improved management across these overlapping differential diagnoses and extra-pelvic manifestations. A key limitation is that it is largely a viewpoint narrative rather than an original empirical study, providing no new cohort data or comparative diagnostic performance. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it specifically emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary clinical care to address diagnostic complexity and mimics in endometriosis.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is a common condition characterized by proliferation of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, both in the pelvis and in other extra-pelvic sites. The clinical picture of endometriosis is widely heterogeneous. A correct diagnostic work-up of these patients can sometimes be very difficult, since there are a number of gynecological, intestinal and systemic diseases mimicking endometriosis, as well as other conditions that could be associated with or are a consequence of this disorder. Therefore, multidisciplinary care should be encouraged to ensure correct evaluation and improve the management of these patients. Similar content being viewed by others

References

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Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Montalto, M., Santoro, L., D’Onofrio, F. et al. Endometriosis, need for a multidisciplinary clinical setting: the internist’s point of view. Intern Emerg Med 5, 463–467 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-010-0404-7 Received: Accepted: Published: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-010-0404-7

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Genital Diseases, Female Comorbidity Diagnosis, Differential Endometriosis Female Genital Diseases, Female Humans Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain

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