A CASE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS OF THE ILEUM PRESENTED WITH INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION

Endometriosis is a disease in which endometrial tissues grow in locations outside the uterus. Of such ectopic sites, the intestine has been increasing recently. In this paper, we present a case of endometriosis of the ileum presented with intestinal obstraction which is relatively rare, together with a review of 23 domestic cases. A 25-year-old woman was seen at the hospital because of right lower abdominal pain. Acute appendicitis or localized peritonitis was suspected from abdominal findings. An emergency operation was performed, when the appendix vermiformis and ovary were normal grossly and a ring like stenosis was confirmed at the terminal ileum. A biopsy of the wall of the small intestine and a plasty for the stricture were performed. Pathological diagnosis was endometriosis of the ileum. No remission of the intestinal obstruction could not be attained after the operation, and an excision of the ileocecum was carried out. Since endometriosis of the intestine presents difficulty in diagnosis, it must be kept in mind as a probable cause of intestinal obstructiton.