Ileal endometriosis as a cause of intestinal obstruction. Report of two cases

Endometriosis is a common, chronic, benign, estrogen dependent gynecological disorder associated to pelvic pain and infertility. Its main characteristic is the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. The prevalence of pelvic endometriosis ranges between 6% and 10% women during their reproductive years. Clinical symptoms of pelvic endometriosis are pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dispareunia and infertility. Distal ileum endometriosis is an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction with a frequency of 7% to 23% of all cases with intestinal involvement. We report two patients, 30 and 34 years old, with terminal ileum endometriosis and intestinal obstruction that required surgery and intestinal resection. Both patients are well one year after the operation.