Abdominal wall endometriosis: a rarely anticipated diagnosis: a 16-year experience and brief literature review

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate cases of endometriosis of the abdominal wall to determine whether the diagnosis was anticipated preoperatively and whether or not the patient had undergone prior surgery.

Study design: This was a retrospective review of records of patients undergoing surgical resection of abdominal wall endometriosis from 1996-2011.

Results: Nine cases were identified. For the 8 cases with a recorded preoperative diagnosis, the clinical diagnosis of endometriosis was recorded preoperatively in only 25% of cases. The most common preoperative diagnosis was neoplasia.

Conclusion: Abdominal wall endometriosis remains a difficult diagnosis to make preoperatively. Awareness among gynecologists and consideration of the diagnosis in the differential will potentially decrease the number of cases suspected of malignancy and may alleviate some stress on the patients' part, due to the possibility of a benign diagnosis.