Successful Treatment of Endometriosis-Related Hemorrhagic Ascites: A Report of Three Cases
Mendes, S.; Carvalho, C.; Rodrigues, GÇalo.; Barata, Sónia.; Calhaz-Jorge, C.; Osório, F.
Surgical Technology International 32: 150-155
2018
ISSN/ISBN: 1090-3941 PMID: 29689592 Document Number: 695037
Endometriosis-related ascites is rare and is frequently confused with an ovarian malignancy. Since it affects women in reproductive age, its diagnosis and therapy are even more challenging. These patients usually present with abdominal distension, pelvic pain, and weight loss, but a careful questioning usually reveals the typical endometriosis symptoms-such as dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia. We present three cases of endometriosis-related ascites, one of them with pleural effusion. All cases were associated with extensive disease and required laborious laparoscopic surgery, medical therapy with gonadotropin releasing hormone analogs, and long-term follow-up. One of the patients delivered twins following an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle without recurrence of ascites. We aim to raise awareness toward the importance of considering endometriosis in a patient with ascites of unknown origin.