Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, and factors of recurrence of abdominal wall endometriomas (AWE).
Method: Sixty-four cases of AWE diagnosed at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) from 1983 to 2003 were reviewed retrospectively.
Result: There was an AWE incidence of 0.044% among the parturients undergoing cesarean section at PUMCH, of whom 87.5% had the typical complaint of an enlarging mass and pain during menstruation. Among these women, 62 underwent low abdominal surgery for endometrioma (2 for primary umbilicus endometrioma); 2 women with small endometriomas opted for a temporary medical solution and had relief after menopause. The latent period of AWE positively correlated to the women's age at onset of symptoms (P<0.001). Of the 62 women who underwent local excision, 19 had an unsatisfactory experience with medical management. There were 5 recurrences and 1 evolution to malignancy during a mean follow-up of 83.7 months. Recurrence was closely related to the size and depth of lesions.
Conclusion: Because of its typical clinical manifestations, abdominal wall endometriomas could be diagnosed before pregnancy. Surgical excision is the only effective treatment and wide local excision with clear margins is the key point to prevent recurrence.