FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 345:266-275 July 26, 2001 Number 4 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

	Full Text PDF Purchase this article Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

Endometriosis is the growth of endometrium outside the uterine cavity or myometrium (endometriotic implants), usually in the peritoneal cavity (Figure 1). The question of how the tissue attains this abnormal placement is controversial, although the predominant theory is that retrograde menstruation is the cause.¹ Additional factors that may be important in pathogenesis include immunologic abnormalities, endometrial disorders, and peritoneal dysfunction.¹

View larger version (82K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1. Common Locations of Endometriosis within the Pelvis and Abdomen.

 
The principal manifestations of endometriosis are pelvic pain and infertility.² The extent of the pain is influenced primarily by the location and depth of the endometriotic implant, with deep . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Evaluation of Treatments for Endometriosis

Treatment of Endometriosis

Treatment Directed at Endometriosis Itself

Treatment of Symptoms of Endometriosis

Treatment of the Pain Associated with Endometriosis

Drug Treatment

Surgical Treatment

Combination Drug and Surgical Treatment

Treatment of Infertility Associated with Endometriosis

Drug Treatment

Surgical Treatment

Assisted Reproduction

Conclusions

Source Information

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine, Dallas (D.L.O.); and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco (E.A.P.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. Olive at 50 S. San Mateo Dr., Suite 370, San Mateo, CA 94401, or at lapskyboy@aol.com.

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Guo, S.-W. (2009). Epigenetics of endometriosis. Mol Hum Reprod 15: 587-607 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bulun, S. E. (2009). Endometriosis. NEJM 360: 268-279 [Full Text]  
• Lee, B., Du, H., Taylor, H. S. (2009). Experimental Murine Endometriosis Induces DNA Methylation and Altered Gene Expression in Eutopic Endometrium. Biol. Reprod. 80: 79-85 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Olsen, C. M, Green, A. C, Nagle, C. M, Jordan, S. J, Whiteman, D. C, Bain, C. J, Webb, P. M, on behalf of the Australian Cancer Study Group (Ov, (2008). Epithelial ovarian cancer: testing the 'androgens hypothesis'. Endocr Relat Cancer 15: 1061-1068 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ali, H. A., Lippmann, M., Mundathaje, U., Khaleeq, G. (2008). Spontaneous Hemothorax: A Comprehensive Review. Chest 134: 1056-1065 [Full Text]  
• Olive, D. L. (2008). Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonists for Endometriosis. NEJM 359: 1136-1142 [Full Text]  
• Angioni, S., Peiretti, M., Zirone, M., Palomba, M., Mais, V., Gomel, V., Melis, G.B. (2006). Laparoscopic excision of posterior vaginal fornix in the treatment of patients with deep endometriosis without rectum involvement: surgical treatment and long-term follow-up. Hum Reprod 21: 1629-1634 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Alifano, M., Trisolini, R., Cancellieri, A., Regnard, J. F. (2006). Thoracic Endometriosis: Current Knowledge. Ann. Thorac. Surg. 81: 761-769 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Somigliana, E., Vercellini, P., Vigano, P., Ragni, G., Crosignani, P. G. (2006). Should endometriomas be treated before IVF-ICSI cycles?. Hum Reprod Update 12: 57-64 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wieser, F., Vigne, J.-L., Ryan, I., Hornung, D., Djalali, S., Taylor, R. N. (2005). Sulindac Suppresses Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Activation and RANTES Gene and Protein Expression in Endometrial Stromal Cells from Women with Endometriosis. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 90: 6441-6447 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Black, H., Sigal, D., Barnes, D., Felisky, C., Follette, D., Harper, R. (2005). A 25-Year-Old Patient With Spontaneous Hemothorax. Chest 128: 3080-3083 [Full Text]  
• Wolfler, M.M., Nagele, F., Kolbus, A., Seidl, S., Schneider, B., Huber, J.C., Tschugguel, W. (2005). A predictive model for endometriosis. Hum Reprod 20: 1702-1708 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chwalisz, K., Perez, M. C., DeManno, D., Winkel, C., Schubert, G., Elger, W. (2005). Selective Progesterone Receptor Modulator Development and Use in the Treatment of Leiomyomata and Endometriosis. Endocr. Rev. 26: 423-438 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Taylor, H. S. (2004). Endometrial Cells Derived From Donor Stem Cells in Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients. JAMA 292: 81-85 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Cottreau, C. M., Ness, R. B., Modugno, F., Allen, G. O., Goodman, M. T. (2003). Endometriosis and Its Treatment with Danazol or Lupron in Relation to Ovarian Cancer. Clin. Cancer Res. 9: 5142-5144 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bagan, P., Le Pimpec Barthes, F., Assouad, J., Souilamas, R., Riquet, M. (2003). Catamenial pneumothorax: retrospective study of surgical treatment. Ann. Thorac. Surg. 75: 378-381 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chapron, C., Fauconnier, A., Vieira, M., Barakat, H., Dousset, B., Pansini, V., Vacher-Lavenu, M.C., Dubuisson, J.B. (2003). Anatomical distribution of deeply infiltrating endometriosis: surgical implications and proposition for a classification. Hum Reprod 18: 157-161 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bruner-Tran, K. L., Eisenberg, E., Yeaman, G. R., Anderson, T. A., McBean, J., Osteen, K. G. (2002). Steroid and Cytokine Regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression in Endometriosis and the Establishment of Experimental Endometriosis in Nude Mice. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 87: 4782-4791 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Cahill, D.J. (2002). What is the optimal medical management of infertility and minor endometriosis?: Analysis and future prospects. Hum Reprod 17: 1135-1140 [Abstract] [Full Text]