We report a rare case of small bowel obstruction (SBO) caused by endometriosis in a postmenopausal woman. A 54-year-old postmenopausal woman presented with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. Before menopause, she sometimes had abdominal pain associated with menses. Axial multi-dimensional CT images revealed a SBO with small nodules near the terminal ileum. The obstruction was diagnosed as being caused by small bowel endometriosis. Curved planar reconstruction images showed a complicated obstruction of the small intestine 15 cm from the terminal ileum. Based on the stenotic lesion, a SILS procedure was performed. The patient's SBO diagnosis was histologically confirmed as being caused by small bowel endometriosis. SILS was deemed to be a safe, feasible procedure for treating this bowel obstruction. Curved planar reconstruction images were useful in preoperative imaging and diagnosis of SBO, especially as they were able to highlight the constricting legion.
Keywords: Postmenopausal women; single-incision laparoscopic surgery; small bowel endometriosis.
© 2015 Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Asia Endosurgery Task Force and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.