ENDOMETRIOSIS OF THE ILEUM CAUSING INTUSSUSCEPTION DURING PREGNANCY -REPORT OF A CASE-

We experienced a case of endometriosis of the ileum presenting with intussusception in an early stage of pregnancy. A 35-year-old woman was seen at the hospital because of an abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. A tumor was palpated in the lower abdomen. Abdominal ultrasonography and CT revealed a target-like appearance. The patient was diagnosed as intestinal obstruction due to intussusception and underwent an emergency operation. During the operation a tumor in a portion 70cm from the ileum end was found and an excision of the ileum was carried out. The excised specimen revealed a red small cyst on the slightly depressed serosa and a submucosal tumor on the smooth mucosa. Histopathologically it was diagnosed with endometriosis of the ileum; and secretion from the endometrial gland and decidualization of stroma which were coincided with features seen in the early phase of pregnancy were confirmed. This case was thought very rare that ileal endometriosis caused intussusception and it occurred during pregnancy. Since no protective effects of pregnancy against intestinal emdometriosis are observed, this disease may not well respond to hormone therapy and demand surgical resection, if organic induration and cicatricial stricture are remarkable.