What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a strange and wondrous disorder. The endometrium is a thin coating of glands and stromal cells that lines the uterus. Occasionally-and for unknown reasons-these benign cells migrate from the lining of the uterus and get implanted in other parts of the body. In Endometriosis, where can Endometrium be found? Usually they spread across the surface of the ovaries or fallopian tubes. But occasionally they can spread to the belly button, the skin, or in rare cases, to the surface of the lung. No matter how far from the endometrium they spread, these cells will still respond to a woman's hormonal cycle. What does happen in a case of Endometriosis? When a woman's hormones signal the start of the menstrual cycle, the growth of the endometrial cells-estranged or not-is disrupted, and the endometrial lining decays. When that sloughing begins, it ruptures the tiny blood vessels that support the endometrial lining, which starts the menstrual flow. When endometrial tissue is growing outside the uterus, however, this cellular sloughing can damage the surrounding tissue. If the endometrial tissue is growing on the fallopian tubes, it can cause infertility. In Mrs. JK's case, the endometrial growth damaged the surface of the liver, causing the bleeding they had encountered. What causes Endometriosis? The exact cause of endometriosis is not known, but one theory is that endometrial tissue in menstrual blood travels into the fallopian tubes and pelvic cavity. The tissue forms cysts, or pockets of blood, on the pelvic organs (uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes). With time, the cysts may form scars or adhesions, which abnormally bind organs together. What are the common symptoms of Endometriosis? Common symptoms often include pain before, during, and after menstruation, and irregular or heavy bleeding during menstruation. Late onset Dysmenorrhoea should make the attending physician suspect Endometriosis. Other common symptoms are pain during sexual intercourse, discomfort in the lower abdomen or urinary tract and infertility. | 1 | 2 | MAIN PAGE