Laparoscopic Surgery for a Patient with Intestinal Obstruction Secondary to Endometriosis

Abstract

Endometriosis is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. Herein, we report on a patient with intestinal obstruction secondary to endometriosis, diagnosed preoperatively based on her medical history and imaging findings, which was successfully resolved with laparoscopic surgery. A 38-year-old woman with an 18-year history of endometriosis had undergone excision of bilateral ovarian chocolate cysts at age 22. At age 37, she experienced two episodes of menstrual cycle-associated intestinal obstruction, treated with oral medication. One year after the last episode, she presented to our emergency outpatient clinic with abdominal pain and nausea. Intestinal obstruction was again diagnosed. On day10 of admission, laparoscopic surgery was performed for intestinal obstruction secondary to endometriosis. Intraoperatively, the patient was found to have adhesions between a left ovarian chocolate cyst and the ileum as well as intestinal endometriosis involving the ileum proximal to the adhesion site. Both lesions were possible causes of intestinal obstruction and were thus partially resected. The patient showed a favorable course and was discharged on postoperative day 5. Since it is thought that the indication of laparoscopic surgery may increase for the same disease from now on, we report this case with a review of the relevant literature.