Intestinal endometriosis as a cause of rectal bleeding: a case report

Endometriosis is the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity and musculature. The estimated prevalence of endometriosis in Puerto Rico is 4.0%. The exact prevalence of extra-pelvic endometriosis is unknown. It has been reported that affects the intestinal tract in 3-37% of all patients with pelvic endometriosis, with the sigmoid colon and rectum being the most commonly involved areas. It can mimic colorectal cancer by producing an invasive abdominal mass. We present the case of a 40 y/o female patient with rectal bleeding that presented a mass on a colonoscopy highly suggestive of cancer. After all the studies and an exploratory laparotomy, the diagnosis was intestinal endometriosis. Because of lack of published data about intestinal endometriosis in Puerto Rico, it is very important to show this condition in order to properly assess young women with rectal bleeding in light of a clinical suspicion of endometriosis.