Recent advances in the study of abdominal wall endometriosis

Abdominal wall endometriosis(AWE) is defined as endometrial tissue superficial to the peritoneum.Many cases of AWE are associated with cesarean section scars.Thus,AWE is often misdiagnosed as a hernia or hematoma.The most common presentation of AWE is the development of a painful mass after uterine surgery.Many patients with AWE are associated with a previous surgical incision.Careful history and physical examination is essential to make correct diagnosis.Studies such as ultrasound,CT,MRI,and FNA are helpful.Medical treatment of AWEs is usually unsuccessful.Therefore,surgical treatment should be offered to every patient and the results usually are excellent.We performed a review of published literatures to demonstrate the pathogenesis,symptoms,diagnosis,treatment and outcomes of patients having AWE.