Endometriosis: Unveiling the contemporary issues in diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrial-like tissue in extra-uterine sites which may induce chronic inflammatory reaction, scar tissue, and adhesions that may distort the pelvic anatomy. The true prevalence of the disease is not known. The disease usually affects women of the reproductive age group and is most typically diagnosed in women aged between 25-30years. Some of the factors which increase the risk of disease include early menarche, shorter menstrual cycles and nulliparity. The symptoms are often non-specific making diagnosis difficult with resultant delay in initiation of appropriate therapy. However, chronic cyclical or non-cyclical pelvic pain with or without menstrual abnormality is common. This review describes the various management options in endometriosis with emphasis on the effective medical and surgical interventions which are useful in the developing world.