A case of spontaneous umbilical endometriosis

Primary umbilical endometrioma: Analyzing the pathogenesis of endometriosis from an unusual localization

OBJECTIVE

This report presents a rare case of symptomatic primary umbilical endometriosis and reviews the literature on the topic with the aim to clarify some questions on the origin of endometriosis.

CASE REPORT

A 33-year-old woman with cyclic umbilical bleeding was found to have umbilical endometriosis. She had no history of pelvic or abdominal surgery. There was no past history of endometriosis or endometriosis-associated symptoms. An omphalectomy was performed after explorative laparoscopy to carefully inspect the abdominopelvic cavity and assess any coexisting pelvic endometriotic lesions. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of umbilical endometriosis.

CONCLUSION

Umbilical endometriosis is a rare but under-recognized phenomenon. Primary lesions are difficult to recognize, but probably represent an independent nosological entity. The possibility of endometriosis must be considered during the evaluation of an umbilical mass despite the absence of previous surgery. Complete excision and successive histology are highly recommended.

Primary umbilical adenomyotic lesion presenting as cyclical periumbilical swelling

A 5-cm umbilical endometriotic lesion associated with a nodule of the posterior aspect of the cervix was discovered in a 32-year-old woman who was consulting for primary infertility. Histological examination of these lesions confirmed smooth muscle hyperplasia that was infiltrated by numerous endometrial glands (adenomyosis).

Villar's nodule: a case report and systematic literature review of endometriosis externa of the umbilicus

We report a case of umbilical endometriosis externa and systematically review the literature regarding this finding. In our case report, a 47-year-old woman with cyclic umbilical bleeding, pelvic pain, and no previous umbilical surgery developed a spontaneous umbilical endometrioma, cured by surgical resection and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. In our review, 122 patients with documented umbilical endometriomas from 1966 to the present and 109 cases reported before 1953 were analyzed. Procedures used for diagnosis and/or therapeutic intervention included umbilical biopsy or resection, abdominal wall repair, diagnostic and/or operative laparoscopy, adhesiolysis, hysterectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Variables included patient age; race; medical and surgical history; past use of oral contraceptives; history of umbilical pain, bleeding, or swelling; duration of signs and symptoms; size and color of the lesion; diagnostic evaluations; and medical or surgical management. Mean age of the study population was 37.7 +/- 0.98 years. Up to 40% of patients with extrapelvic endometriosis present with umbilical endometriomas, with symptoms occurring an average of 17.8 +/- 3.9 months before presentation. Lesions averaged 2.3 +/- 0.2 cm in diameter; were predominantly brown (19.1%), blue (13.2%), or purple (10.3%); and patients frequently had with pain (77.93%), cyclical bleeding (47.1%), and swelling (88.2%). Most patients had no history of endometriosis (73.1%), and laparoscopic, umbilical trocar-related seeding was identified in only 5 patients. Three patients received medical management, and surgical management was invariably curative, though 1 patient required repeat surgical therapy. Umbilical endometriosis is a common manifestation of external endometriosis, representing primary or secondary endometriosis, with a typical presentation that has little variation. Laparoscopic endometrioid tissue excision can result in iatrogenic seeding to the umbilicus. Historical and physical findings are pathognomonic, thus justifying a formal name--Villar's nodule, after the initial reporting physician. Surgical intervention is recommended, but medical therapy may result in long-term symptom control with minimal malignancy risk.