Colorectal endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common disease occurring in about 10% of all women. Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is not infrequent and endometriosis should therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis of colon lesions in women of childbearing and middle age. Colorectal endometriosis may cause obstructing symptoms difficult to distinguish from malignant or inflammatory disease, as is demonstrated by 6 case reports. Colorectal endometriosis is mostly localized to the sigmoid or the anterior rectal wall with extramucosal radiologic appearance and is difficult to diagnose by sigmoidoscopy. Patients with an infiltration of the anterior rectal wall (shelf tumour) should undergo a complete evaluation including laparoscopy before surgery is considered. Bowel resection often offers the best chance of cure.