Endometriosis and its different forms
Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial mucosa (glands and endometrial stroma) outside the uterine cavity (2). Internal endometriosis is characterized by invasion of endometrial glands and stroma inside the uterine muscle, the myometrium and external endometriosis by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus.
Since 1991, external endometriosis has been acknowledged to include 3 distinct entities that can coexist together or separately (3):
Endometriosis can either be asymptomatic or cause 3 major symptoms:
- Pain,
- Bleeding
- Infertility
Severity of symptoms can vary considerably between patients and also according to disease localization, It is important to bear in mind that different forms of endometriosis can coexist together or present. Separately the intensity of symptoms is not necessarily related to the extent or severity of the disease(2).
It is important to keep in mind that the different forms of endometriosis can coexist together or separately.
Internal endometriosis or adenomyosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma within the uterine muscle (myometrium).
Peritoneal endometriosis, also called superficial endometriosis, is characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma on the surface of the peritoneum.
Ovarian endometriosis is characterized by invasion of the ovary by endometrial glands and stroma (coelomic metaplasia theory).
Deep endometriosis is characterized by the presence of indurated and nodular lesions composed of smooth muscle invaded by endometrial glands and stroma.