Endometriosis‐associated nerve fibers and pain

Melissa G Medina, Melissa Medina, Dan I Lebovic
Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2009 · vol. 88(9) , pp. 968–975 · doi:10.1080/00016340903176826 · W2108644400
review OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 52 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

This review compiles literature on nerve fiber detection in endometriosis, finding similar fibers across tissues with density correlating to pain and hormonal therapy reducing density.

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Abstract

Abstract The assessment and diagnosis of endometriosis remain elusive targets. Patient and medical‐related factors add to delays in the detection and treatment. Recently, investigators have revealed specific nerve fibers present in endometriotic tissue, with existing parallels between density and pain severity. The aim of this review is to compile a comprehensive review of existing literature on endometriosis‐related nerve fiber detection, and the effects of medical therapy on these neural fibers. We performed a systematic literature‐based review using Medline and PubMed of nerve fibers detected in eutopic endometrium, endometriotic lesions, and the peritoneum. Various arrangements of significant medical terms and phrases consisting of endometriosis, pelvic pain, nerve fiber detection/density in endometriosis, and diagnoses methodology, including treatment and detection were applied in the search. Subsequent references used were cross‐matched with existing sources to compile all additional similar reports. Similar nerve fibers were detected within lesions, endometrium, and myometrium, though at varying degrees of density. Hormonal therapy is widely used to treat endometriosis and was shown to be related to a reduction in fiber density. A direct result of specific nerve fiber detection within eutopic endometrial layers points to the use of a minimally invasive endometrial biopsy technique in reducing delay in diagnosis and subsequent possible preservation of fertility.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometrium Myometrium Nerve Fibers Pelvic Pain Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans Myometrium Myometrium Nerve Fibers Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain

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 (29)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK