Endometriosis of the perineum

Primary Carcinomas of the Episiotomy Scar Site: A Systematic Literature Review

Episiotomy is a perineal incision enlarging the vaginal opening during labor, preventing severe perineal/vaginal/ano-rectal lacerations. We performed a systematic literature review (PRISMA guidelines; Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases) of primary malignant tumors arising from the episiotomy site. Thirteen primary carcinomas were reported, mainly endometriosis-related histotypes (77%) (nine clear cell, CCC; one endometrioid, EC) with only two vulvar invasive squamous cell carcinomas and one adenoid cystic carcinoma of Bartholin's gland. No sarcomas, melanomas or malignant trophoblastic tumors were described. Endometriosis was associated with tumors or reported in history (62%). Malignant transformation occurred 3 to 27 (mean 16) years after diagnosis of endometriosis. Patients were usually post-/peri-menopausal (eight cases, 61%) (age range: 31-70 years, mean 50). Imaging should exclude distant (0% in our series) or lymph node metastases (three cases, 23%), looking for potential invasion of vagina (five cases, 39%), anus (including sphincter) (four cases, 31%) and/or other deep pelvic soft tissues (five cases, 39%). All patients underwent surgery, except for a CCC-patient (only chemoradiation) subsequently progressing and dying of disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were administered to five (39%) cases, neoadjuvant therapy to four cases (31%). Globally, three (23%) cases recurred or progressed, and two-thirds (15%) died of disease (1 CCC, 1 EC). Radical surgery with lymph node status evaluation and eventual excision should be performed when possible. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy can be considered in an adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant setting (or as only treatment in inoperable patients). However, the role of different treatments should be studied in further larger multicenter series.

Isolated perineal endometriosis? Yes ... an exceptional location

Endometriosis is a nonmalignant condition characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Perineal endometriosis, an uncommon occurrence, involves the presence of endometrial tissue in the superficial perineum. In this report, we present a unique case of a 40-year-old woman with no known history of endometriosis. She had undergone an episiotomy 10 months prior and presented with swelling in the left perineal region, with no signs of inflammation or fever. To investigate the condition, a pelvic MRI was performed, revealing a rounded collection in the left perineal area, leading to the suspicion of perineal endometriosis based on the patient's pain pattern and medical history. The diagnosis was subsequently confirmed after drainage.

Painful catamenial vulvar lesions misleading gynecologist

Endometriosis usually presents as cyclical pain in the pelvis but may also present as painful cutaneous lesions. Many diseases may mimic hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) since HS, a chronic inflammatory painful skin disease, is a clinical diagnosis. A 32-year-old woman presented with painful lumps on her vulva and groin accompanied with bloody discharge during menstruation. She was followed up with preliminary diagnosis of endometriosis. Previous excision without definitive diagnosis resulted in temporary relief. She was prescribed oral contraceptive pills that alleviated her symptoms but quitted due to headache. Surgical excision was performed for definitive diagnosis and therapeutic relief. Pathology report revealed HS. She was prescribed oral doxycycline. She responded well to the therapy and has symptom-free for the last 2 years. She delivered one healthy girl via cesarian section 2 years after the treatment. Endometriosis and HS should be included in the differential diagnosis when women present with menstrual painful lesions around external genitalia for diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Vulvo-Perineal Endometriosis: A Systematic Review

Objective: To describe the available knowledge on vulvo-perineal endometriosis including its diagnosis, clinical management and recurrence rate.

Methods: We followed the PRISMA guidelines for Systematic Reviews and our study was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020202441). The terms “Endometriosis” and “Perineum” or “Vulva” were used as keywords. Cochrane Library, Medline/Pubmed, Embase and Clinicaltrials.gov were searched. Papers in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian from inception to July 30, 2020 were considered. Reference lists of included articles and other literature source such as Google Scholar were also manually scrutinized in order to identify other relevant studies. Two independent reviewers screened potentially eligible studies according to inclusion criteria.

Results: Out of 539 reports, 90 studies were eligible including a total of 283 patients. Their mean age was 32.7 ± 7.6 years. Two hundred sixty-three (95.3%) presenting with vulvo-perineal endometriosis have undergone either episiotomy, perineal trauma or vaginal injury or surgery. Only 13 patients (4.7%) developed vulvo-vaginal endometriosis spontaneously i.e., without any apparent condition favoring it. The reasons that motivated the patients to take medical advice were vulvo-perineal cyclical pain increasing during menstruations (98.2% of the patients, n = 278). Out of the 281 patients for whom a clinical examination was described, 274 patients (97.5%) showed a vulvo-perineal nodule, mass or swelling while six presented with bluish cutaneous lesions (2.1%) and 1 with bilateral polyps of the labia minora (0.4%). All but one patients underwent surgical excision of their lesions but only 88 patients (28.1%) received additional hormonal therapy. The recurrence rate was 10.2% (29 patients) considering a median follow-up period of 10 months (based on 61 studies).

Conclusion: In conclusion, vulvo-perineal endometriosis is a rare entity with approximately 300 cases reported in the literature since 1923. With the available knowledge shown in this systematic review, we encourage all practitioners to think about perineal endometriosis in case of perineal cyclical pain with or without previous perineal damage. Diagnosis should be done with clinical exam, perineal ultrasound and pelvic MRI when available. In case of anal sphincter involvement, perianal ultrasound should be performed. Surgical excision of the lesion should be realized in order to remove the lesion and to confirm the diagnosis histologically. Hormonal treatment could be proposed to attempt to decrease the size of a large lesion before surgery or to avoid recurrence of the lesion. As evidence-based approach to the diagnosis, treatment and recurrence rate of affected patients remains a challenge given its low prevalence, the variations in management found in the articles included and the limited quality of available studies, we suggest that a prospective database on vulvo-perineal endometriosis should be generated to increase knowledge but also awareness among healthcare professionals and optimize patients' care.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42020202441.

Clinical characteristics of perineal endometriosis: A case series

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of perineal endometriosis (PEM) is low among women with endometriosis (EM) treated by surgery. It manifests as hard or cystic nodules with pain in the perineal wounds and surrounding areas. Implantation theory is regarded as the main pathogenesis of PEM. There are few clinical studies on the incidence and clinical characteristics of PEM. This study aims to summarize the clinical data of 14 PEM cases and analyze the factors that may be related to the incubation period and pain.

AIM

To analyze the medical history, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and treatment effect of PEM.

METHODS

The present study is a case series. We collected the clinical data and follow-up data of 14 patients with PEM who visited The International Peace Maternal and Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University from January 2009 to December 2019. Paired t test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The 14 patients included had a history of vaginal delivery. All patients underwent PEM lesion resection. Three patients were treated by levator ani muscle repair at the same time and 1 patient underwent extensive PEM lesion resection and anal sphincter repair. Body mass index (BMI) at delivery and BMI within 1 mo after delivery were negatively correlated with the latent period, respectively (R² = 0.53/0.86, P < 0.05). The average visual analog scale score in lesions at the third month after surgery was 0.57 ± 1.28 for all patients, which was significantly lower than that prior to surgery (P < 0.05). One patient relapsed during the sixth month after surgery, and to date, no recurrence occurred after the second surgery.

CONCLUSION

The higher the BMI during delivery and within 1 mo after delivery, the shorter the incubation period of PEM. It is very important to evaluate the location of lesions before surgery. Surgical resection of the lesion is the best treatment for PEM and results in significant alleviation of symptoms. Therefore, following the diagnosis of PEM, immediate surgery is recommended.

Abdominal and perineal scar endometriosis: Retrospective study on 40 cases

OBJECTIVE(S)

Abdominal and perineal scar endometriosis usually develop in association with a prior surgical scar. The purpose of the study was to detect and review patients' characteristics of these women over a long period.

STUDY DESIGN

We retrospectively review the clinical records of 860 women with endometriosis between 1989 and 2019. Data were collected and analyzed from medical and pathological reports of 40 patients with abdominal and perineal scar endometriosis.

RESULTS

26 patients (3,0 %) were detected in the abdominal wall endometriosis group (AWE) (mean age 36,5 ± 3,4 years) and 14(1,6 %) cases in the perineal endometriosis (PE) group (32,5 ± 2,4 years), respectively. We observed that 92,3 % of women with AWE had undergone at least 1 cesarean section. Moreover, the majority of patients presented with abdominal pain (77, 0 %) and sensation of a mass (96,2 %). 15,4 % of cases had concurrent pelvic endometriosis and the recurrent rate of the disease was 15,4 %. All cases with perineal scar endometriosis were multiparous and delivered vaginally with episiotomy. 92,8 % of patients presented with cyclical pain and swelling. 3 cases suffered from perineal endometriosis combined with pelvic endometriosis. There was a recurrence of perineal endometriosis in 2 women (14,2 %). Surgical excision was the standard treatment of this condition and tissue biopsy confirmed the diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Abdominal wall and perineal scar endometriosis are rare, multifactorial entities which are associated mainly with cesarean section and vaginal episiotomy. Clinicians should be aware of these conditions among all women of reproductive age presenting with cyclic or non-cyclic pain and swelling at the incision sites.

Spontaneous cutaneous endometriosis of the mons pubis: Diagnosis, treatment, and review of the literature

Background:

Cutaneous endometriosis is usually associated with a preceding surgical scar; spontaneous cutaneous endometriosis is rare. We report on a case of spontaneous cutaneous endometriosis of the mons pubis as well as a review of the literature.

Case:

A 46-year-old woman with no surgical history presented to gynecology clinic with a 6-year history of a mass on the mons pubis causing severe cyclic pain with enlargement during menses. Initial fine needle aspiration biopsy was nondiagnostic; thus, pelvic ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and a core needle biopsy were used to diagnose a mons endometrioma. The lesion was surgically excised with pathology confirming the diagnosis. The patient noted subsequent improvement in her symptoms.

Conclusion:

Spontaneous cutaneous endometriosis of the mons pubis can be successfully treated via surgical excision.

Female perineal diseases: spectrum of imaging findings

The female perineum, which is divided into the anterior urogenital triangle and the posterior anal triangle, is a surface structure often overlooked. Female perineal diseases may present with nonspecific clinical signs due to its close anatomical relationship between the different compartments. Diagnosis of the origin of a perineal disorder may also be a difficult problem encountered in pelvi-perineal imaging. Therefore, a precise knowledge of the female perineal anatomy and the associated disease processes is essential to radiologists, pathologists, and surgeons alike who are involved in the evaluation of the patient who presents with a perineal mass. Cross-sectional imaging plays a crucial role for proper management. Due to the robust contrast resolution of MR, MR imaging is the modality of choice for evaluation of the extent of a complex perineal lesion, its relationship to the adjacent structures. It has a greater sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis than the other non-invasive imaging techniques and is helpful in guidance for surgical planning. The purpose of this article is to highlight the spectrum of imaging findings of female perineal diseases.

Diagnosis and treatment of perineal endometriosis: review of 17 cases

PURPOSE

To demonstrate the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of perineal endometriosis.

METHODS

Seventeen patients who presented with a tender perineal mass coinciding with the menstrual cycle on the scar of a previous vaginally procedure were examined retrospectively. Their clinical features and treatment were analyzed.

RESULTS

All patients presented with a palpable painful lesion. All of them had had vaginal delivery with episiotomy. The mean age of the patients was 34.35 years. The mean latent period was 46.82 months. The mean size was 2.38 cm. Thirteen patients presented with one subcutaneous nodule and four had multiple nodules. Color Doppler ultrasound revealed a subcutaneous nodule with an irregular outline and echo-complex density underlying the episiotomy scar. Only one patient suffered from perineal endometriosis combined with pelvic endometriosis. All endometriotic masses in perineum were completely excised and cured, and confirmed by the microscopic examination.

CONCLUSIONS

A detailed history and thorough pelvic examination are essential in diagnosing perineal endometriosis. Surgical intervention is the first choice of treatment.

Periclitoral endometriosis: the dilemma of a chronic disease invading a rare location

Endometriosis affects 6% to 10% of women of reproductive age; extrapelvic endometriosis is considered a rare event with perineal endometriosis being even rarer still (only a few cases of spontaneous episodes described, the majority being from episiotomy scars). We present a unique case of periclitoral endometriosis, which to the best of our knowledge is the first in the literature. It is a 29-year-old nulligravida female with a painful fluctuant right periclitoral mass that had been growing with no response to antibiotic therapy. At the initial removal, pathology reported the lesion as endometriosis. The patient was placed on oral contraceptives, and she was noted to have monthly swelling and shrinking of the site with her menstrual cycles. When she went off hormonal contraception, she represented with the growing lesion 3.5 weeks after her last menses; she underwent re-excision. Because of the extension of the lesion medially and its adherence to the clitoral body, the decision was made to evacuate only as much of the capsule that could be safely identified to minimize the risk of damaging the clitoris. Complete excision in this case was difficult without sacrificing a portion of the clitoris and potentially resulting in decreased sexual function and persistent clitoral pain. In a patient in whom complete excision is not possible, there is potential for mass recurrence in the setting of residual tissue. Reviewing the literature suggests that there are risks with both recurrence and clitoral excision. We found that in-depth patient counseling, hormonal suppression, and close follow-up are necessary when dealing with periclitoral endometriosis postexcision.

Spontaneous hymeneal endometriosis: a rare cause of dyspareunia

Vulvar endometriosis can occur after surgery or trauma and cause dyspareunia. A 30-year-old woman presented with orificial dyspareunia lasting for 5 months. Her history was marked by a vaginal birth without perineal injury and the removal of a cyst from the left Bartholin's gland. On examination, we observed a selectively painful, superficial and retractile lesion, 5 mm in diameter at the junction of the hymen at some distance from the bartholinitis scar. Endometriosis was suspected due to the exacerbation of pain during menses. The surgery consisted of excision of the hymenal area of the painful lesion. Pathological examination confirmed the presence of endometrial tissue. The painful symptoms resolved and no additional treatment was administered. Any vulvar lesion, regardless of its appearance and location, can be related to endometriosis. Surgical resection is recommended to relieve the symptoms and provide histological proof.