[Surgical treatment of endometriosis of the large intestine (author's transl)]

Endometriosis is a sufficiently common disease that should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of colon lesions in women of child bearing age. Six selected cases illustrate problems of diagnosis and management of endometriosis of the colon. Characteristics of colon endometriosis are typical large-bowel symptoms such as colicky pains and hemorrhage usually situated in the sigmoid and rectosigmoid region, extramucosal radiologic appearance of a marked smooth-walled stenosis, and the difficult endoscopic and histological preoperative diagnosis. Suspected malignancy and the presence of the symptoms of a colon lesion are indications for bowel resection, which is an effective form of therapy.