Endosalpingiosis
Encyclopedia
In gynecology, endosalpingiosis is a benign
condition in which uterine tube-like epithelium
is found outside of the uterine tube.
Endosalpingiosis is associated with the formation of psammoma bodies, which may lead to the misdiagnosis of malignancy, e.g. serous carcinoma
.
, or is (2) an incidental (asymptomatic) finding discovered in the course of investigating pelvic pain, menstrual irregularities or infertility
. Stated in another way, there is no strong evidence that endosalpingiosis causes pelvic pain or infertility.
).
It is characterized by cysts with tubal
-type epithelium (e.g. ciliated epithelium) surrounded by a fibrous
stroma. Unlike endometriosis
, it is not associated with hemorrhage.
A tubal-type epithelial surrounded by endometrial-type stroma
is a variant of endometriosis
, not endosalpingiosis.
Endosalpingiosis is occasionally found in lymph node
s, and may be misinterpreted as an adenocarcinoma
metastasis.
, no treatment is necessary.
Benign
A benign tumor is a tumor that lacks the ability to metastasize. Common examples of benign tumors include moles and uterine fibroids.The term "benign" implies a mild and nonprogressive disease. Indeed, many kinds of benign tumors are harmless to human health...
condition in which uterine tube-like epithelium
Epithelium
Epithelium is one of the four basic types of animal tissue, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue. Epithelial tissues line the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body, and also form many glands. Functions of epithelial cells include secretion, selective...
is found outside of the uterine tube.
Endosalpingiosis is associated with the formation of psammoma bodies, which may lead to the misdiagnosis of malignancy, e.g. serous carcinoma
Serous carcinoma
In pathology, serous carcinoma is an epithelial malignancy that arises from the lining of a cavity that produces a serum-like fluid .Serous lined cavities include the peritoneum, pericardium and pleural space and tunica vaginalis....
.
Symptoms
The significance of endosalpingiosis is not settled; medical experts differ on whether it (1) causes pelvic painPelvic pain
Pelvic pain is a symptom that can affect both women and men. The pelvic pain that persists for a period of 3 months or more to be considered chronic while less than this duration is considered acute. The pain may indicate the existence of poorly-understood conditions that likely represent abnormal...
, or is (2) an incidental (asymptomatic) finding discovered in the course of investigating pelvic pain, menstrual irregularities or infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
. Stated in another way, there is no strong evidence that endosalpingiosis causes pelvic pain or infertility.
Diagnosis
Endosalpingiosis is diagnosed by a pathologist on excision (e.g. biopsyBiopsy
A biopsy is a medical test involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination. It is the medical removal of tissue from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist, and can also be analyzed chemically...
).
It is characterized by cysts with tubal
Fallopian tube
The Fallopian tubes, also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges are two very fine tubes lined with ciliated epithelia, leading from the ovaries of female mammals into the uterus, via the utero-tubal junction...
-type epithelium (e.g. ciliated epithelium) surrounded by a fibrous
Fibrosis
Fibrosis is the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue in a reparative or reactive process. This is as opposed to formation of fibrous tissue as a normal constituent of an organ or tissue...
stroma. Unlike endometriosis
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a gynecological medical condition in which cells from the lining of the uterus appear and flourish outside the uterine cavity, most commonly on the ovaries. The uterine cavity is lined by endometrial cells, which are under the influence of female hormones...
, it is not associated with hemorrhage.
A tubal-type epithelial surrounded by endometrial-type stroma
Stroma (animal tissue)
In animal tissue, stroma refers to the connective, supportive framework of a biological cell, tissue, or organ.The stroma in animal tissue is contrasted with the parenchyma.Examples include:* Stroma of iris...
is a variant of endometriosis
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a gynecological medical condition in which cells from the lining of the uterus appear and flourish outside the uterine cavity, most commonly on the ovaries. The uterine cavity is lined by endometrial cells, which are under the influence of female hormones...
, not endosalpingiosis.
Endosalpingiosis is occasionally found in lymph node
Lymph node
A lymph node is a small ball or an oval-shaped organ of the immune system, distributed widely throughout the body including the armpit and stomach/gut and linked by lymphatic vessels. Lymph nodes are garrisons of B, T, and other immune cells. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as...
s, and may be misinterpreted as an adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma is a cancer of an epithelium that originates in glandular tissue. Epithelial tissue includes, but is not limited to, the surface layer of skin, glands and a variety of other tissue that lines the cavities and organs of the body. Epithelium can be derived embryologically from...
metastasis.
Treatment
As endosalpingiosis, generally, is not considered a pathologyPathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, no treatment is necessary.