Ileocecal endometriosis: diagnosis and management.

OBJECTIVE: Ileocecal endometriosis is rare. Symptoms range from no symptoms, cramps, vomiting, to acute intestinal obstruction. Our objective was to review our cases, clarify, and resume its most appropriate management focusing on the factors to determine diagnosis. This is a retrospective study by revision of medical charts of all ileal endometriosis cases of our unit from 2006 to 2014.

CASE REPORT: Seven cases were found; three (43%) had previous endometriosis laparoscopic diagnosis, four (57%) had partial bowel obstruction episodes, three (43%) had chronic pelvic pain, and one developed acute intestinal obstruction in postoperative ileostomy closure. In three (43%), the diagnosis was made with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and double contrast barium enema, in one (14%) only with MRI, and the other three (43%) during surgery. All patients underwent resection of the ileum and evolved favorably.

CONCLUSION: Variability in symptoms hinders diagnosis. The gold standard for diagnosis is MRI, but clinical suspicion optimizes imaging test diagnosis. Segmental resection should be indicated in the majority of the cases.