Bowel endometriosis: from pathogenesis to clinical management.

Bowel endometriosis affects 8-12% of women with endometriosis, most commonly involving the rectosigmoid colon and often coexisting with other pelvic lesions.

• Why it matters: Understanding its multifactorial pathogenesis is crucial because diagnosis is often delayed by 7-10 years, and symptoms can mimic other gastrointestinal disorders, complicating timely management.
• What they did: The study reviews clinical features, diagnostic tools like transvaginal ultrasound and MRI, and treatment options including medical therapy and surgery, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches.
• The result: Findings highlight that while medical therapy may control symptoms, surgery is necessary for severe cases, and long-term management requires multidisciplinary follow-up due to fertility concerns and rare malignant transformation risks.