Case Report

Endometriosis of the Sigmoid Colon Presenting as Acute Intestinal Obstruction: A Case Report from Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana

Edmund M Der, Solomon E. Quayson, Alfred Tetteh and Simon B. Naaeder
World Journal of Medical and Surgical Case Reports 2015, 4:11

Abstract

Background

Intestinal endometriosis is usually asymptomatic and complete obstruction of the bowel lumen occurs in less than 1% of cases.

Case presentation

We report a case of endometriosis of the sigmoid colon, which caused complete intestinal obstruction and mimicked carcinoma of the sigmoid colon in a 30-year-old woman who presented with signs and symptoms of acute abdomen. Plain abdominal X-ray showed dilated large bowel and multiple air fluid levels, subsequent exploratory laparotomy showed a constricting sigmoid colon surrounded by fibrous tissue, leading to its angulation and extensive lumen obstruction. Pathological examination revealed endometriosis in the bowel wall with preservation of the mucosa.

Conclusions

Endometriosis of the large bowel presenting with signs and symptoms of acute intestinal obstruction may mimic large bowel malignancy and present as a diagnostic dilemma as is this case.

Key Words

endometriosis, malignancy, acute intestinal obstruction

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