Preoperative hormonal therapy for a patient with appendiceal endometriosis

Abstract

The optimal management of patients with appendiceal endometriosis has not been determined because of the difficulty of establishing a preoperative diagnosis. There are no reports of preoperative hormone therapy for a patient with appendiceal endometriosis. We report a patient who underwent resection of appendiceal endometriosis after hormone therapy. A 40-year-old woman with history of recurrent pelvic abscesses presented to the emergency department with lower abdominal pain. The recurrent pelvic abscesses were synchronised with her menstrual cycle. CT scan demonstrated a 25 mm contrast-enhanced luminal structure adjacent to the cecum, which was thought to be a mucocele of the appendix. Considering the recurrent symptoms during menstruation, endometriosis was suspected. Treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist was started for appendiceal endometriosis, which alleviated the symptoms. After 3 months, elective laparoscopic appendectomy was performed. Preoperative hormonal therapy is an option for patients with appendiceal endometriosis, especially when there is concern for dense adhesions.