Endometrial decidualization: a rare cause of acute appendicitis during pregnancy
Author(s)
Murphy, Skyle J
Kaur, Anupinder
Wullschleger, Martin E
Year published
2016
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Appendicular endometriosis is a rare and poorly understood pathology that affects women in their reproductive years. In the gravid woman, ectopic endometrial tissue undergoes decidualization. This physiological process can result in acute appendicitis in exceptional cases. Here we describe a patient in her second trimester of pregnancy who presented with right iliac fossa pain and clinical, laboratory and imaging findings consistent with acute appendicitis. A laparoscopic appendectomy was performed with intraoperative findings suspicious for malignancy. Histological analysis made the surprising diagnosis of decidualized ...
View more >Appendicular endometriosis is a rare and poorly understood pathology that affects women in their reproductive years. In the gravid woman, ectopic endometrial tissue undergoes decidualization. This physiological process can result in acute appendicitis in exceptional cases. Here we describe a patient in her second trimester of pregnancy who presented with right iliac fossa pain and clinical, laboratory and imaging findings consistent with acute appendicitis. A laparoscopic appendectomy was performed with intraoperative findings suspicious for malignancy. Histological analysis made the surprising diagnosis of decidualized endometriosis causing luminal constriction resulting in acute appendicitis. We also detail the challenging diagnostic and management issues faced by clinicians in such cases.
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View more >Appendicular endometriosis is a rare and poorly understood pathology that affects women in their reproductive years. In the gravid woman, ectopic endometrial tissue undergoes decidualization. This physiological process can result in acute appendicitis in exceptional cases. Here we describe a patient in her second trimester of pregnancy who presented with right iliac fossa pain and clinical, laboratory and imaging findings consistent with acute appendicitis. A laparoscopic appendectomy was performed with intraoperative findings suspicious for malignancy. Histological analysis made the surprising diagnosis of decidualized endometriosis causing luminal constriction resulting in acute appendicitis. We also detail the challenging diagnostic and management issues faced by clinicians in such cases.
View less >
Journal Title
Journal of Surgical Case Reports
Volume
2016
Issue
4
Subject
Surgery
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Surgery