General and Systemic Histopathology, C601&C602
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Endometriosis is a
curious condition. One sees benign endometrial glands and stroma being
seeded into the abdominal cavity and every now and then into the abdominal
skin, particularly around the umbilicus. It's not malignant, but it sure
gets around. The problems really come for the woman with this condition
when she experiences her regular menstrual cycle. These foci bleed and
under go some degree of necrosis and as you can imagine will cause a heck
of a localized inflammatory reaction. These folks are in a lot of discomfort. See this slide with the virtual microscope. |
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You will find benign endometrial glandular and stromal elements attached to the serosal surface of this fallopian tube. This is a very frequent problem which may lead to infertility because of the marked degree of scarring and deformity that occurs secondary to the repeated bouts of hemorrhage and inflammation at the implant site. We see it most commonly on the serosal surface of the abdomen and associated abdominal organs. But sometimes it can appear in the most unexpected places, such as in the skin around the umbilicus. How do you think this condition develops? What about the symptoms? |