Review

Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome
Areti Augoulea, Irene Lambrinoudaki, George Christodoulakos

2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece

Address of Corresponding Author

Respiration 2008;75:113-119 (DOI: 10.1159/000105102)

  Key Words

• Hemoptysis
• Endometriosis
• Pneumothorax
• Thoracic endometriosis syndrome

  Abstract

Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity and is usually confined to the pelvis. Thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of functioning endometrial tissue in the pleura, the lung parenchyma and the airways. TES may present with hemoptysis, due to the shedding of endometrial tissue in the bronchial tree, or spontaneous pneumothorax or hemothorax if the endometrial tissue is localized peripherally. Patients are of reproductive age, often nulliparous, with long-standing symptoms. The crucial issue for establishing the diagnosis is the cyclicity of the symptoms which occur along with the menstrual cycle. TES is virtually a diagnosis of exclusion, established on clinical grounds, since neither CT nor endoscopy are specific for TES. Treatment consists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, aiming to suppress the hypophyseal-gonadal axis, so as to ensure a regression of the endometrial implants. If medical treatment fails, surgical resection of the endometriomas is suggested, although relapse rate may be high.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Irene Lambrinoudaki
27, Themistokleous Street, Dionysos
GR-14578 Athens (Greece)
Tel./Fax +30 210 641 0325
E-Mail ilambrinoudaki@hotmail.com

  Article Information

Received: September 7, 2006
Accepted after revision: March 2, 2007
Published online: June 28, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 39