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Case Reports
. 2016 Oct-Dec;7(4):185-188.
doi: 10.4103/0976-7800.195698.

Intestinal obstruction associated with ovarian remnant in postmenopausal female

Affiliations
Case Reports

Intestinal obstruction associated with ovarian remnant in postmenopausal female

Ridhima Gupta et al. J Midlife Health. 2016 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

Ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) is a rare condition, in which the ovarian tissue is inadvertently left behind after difficult oophorectomy. The most common preexisting conditions associated for this complication include endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and prior abdominal surgery as in these conditions, removal of ovarian tissue becomes difficult. This is likely due to the presence of the dense fibrotic adhesions between an ovary and the surrounding structures. This residual ovarian tissue can become functional and cystic. A 56-year-old multigravida postmenopausal female was diagnosed with intestinal obstruction. She had multiple abdominal surgeries in the past, including cholecystectomy, appendectomy, hysterectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Patient underwent exploratory laparotomy. Intraoperatively, extensive adhesions and scarring of bowel wall were present and approximately 15 cm proximal to the terminal ileum, a small bowel mesenteric nodule was present. Histopathology of the mesenteric nodule was consistent with the diagnosis of overian remnant. ORS can be prevented with careful resection of the entire ovarian tissue during the difficulty oophorectomy so that no ovarian tissue is left behind.

Keywords: Intestinal obstruction; oophorectomy; ovarian remnant syndrome; postmenopause.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Coronal contrast-enhanced computed tomography image shows an enhancing mesenteric nodule in distal small bowel mesentery (arrow) and dilated small bowel loops
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sagittal contrast-enhanced computed tomography image shows tight stricture (arrow) in distal small bowel
Figure 3
Figure 3
Small bowel with mesenteric nodule. Inset 1: Endosalpingiosis with ovarian stroma (H and E, ×20). Inset 2: Corpus albicans (H and E, ×4)

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