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Endometriosis

RRM Academy Dr. Naomi Whittaker, MD
By RRM Academy Reviewed by Dr. Naomi Whittaker, MD, Board-Certified OBGYN, MIGS, NFPMC, FCI

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the endometrium grows outside the uterine cavity, most commonly on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, pelvic peritoneum, and uterosacral ligaments. It affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, and up to 50% of women presenting with infertility.1 Despite this prevalence, the median time from symptom onset to diagnosis is 9 years,2 a delay driven by normalized dismissal of pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea as routine. Endometriosis causes inflammation, adhesion formation, distorted pelvic anatomy, and impaired tubal and implantation function, all of which affect both the woman's health and a couple's fertility. RRM's standard surgical treatment is laparoscopic excision surgery, which demonstrates significantly greater improvement across symptom domains compared to ablation.1 Hormonal suppression after surgery masks disease activity without treating the underlying condition: it does not stop disease progression. For complex pelvic disease, clinicians may employ PEARS, NARPS, or S-MAP techniques alongside adhesion prevention.

Cited in this entry

  1. Laparoscopic Excision Versus Ablation for Endometriosis. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28456617/
  2. Management of endometriosis in general practice: the pathway to diagnosis. British Journal of General Practice. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17550672/

Authoritative References

How other clinical authorities define this term. RRM Academy curates these verbatim or under fair use so the medical consensus is visible alongside our RRM-contextualized definition above.

  • PubMed MeSH D004715

    A condition in which functional endometrial tissue is present outside the UTERUS. It is often confined to the PELVIS involving the OVARY, the ligaments, cul-de-sac, and the uterovesical peritoneum.

    Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine. Public domain. Read source →
  • ICD-10 / ICD-10-CM N80

    ICD-10 (WHO 2019, N80): Endometriosis
    ICD-10-CM (FY2024, N80): Endometriosis of the uterus, unspecified

    Source: World Health Organization (ICD-10) / U.S. CMS (ICD-10-CM). Read source →
  • ICD-11 MMS GA10

    ICD-11 MMS (2024-01, GA10): Endometriosis
    A condition of the uterus that is frequently idiopathic. This condition is characterised by ectopic growth and function of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. This condition may be associated with remaining vestigial tissue from the wolffian or mullerian duct, or fragments endometrium refluxed backward into the peritoneal cavity during menstruation. This condition may also present with dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, nonmenstrual pelvic pain, infertility, alteration of menses, or may be asymptomatic. Confirmation is by laparoscopy and histological identification of ectopic fragments.

    Source: World Health Organization, ICD-11 MMS 2024-01. Read source →
  • SNOMED CT 129103003

    Endometriosis (clinical) (Endometriosis (disorder))

    Source: SNOMED International. IHTSDO license. Read source →
  • NCI Thesaurus

    Endometriosis (NCI)
    The growth of functional endometrial tissue in anatomic sites outside the uterine body. It most often occurs in the pelvic organs.

    Source: U.S. National Cancer Institute. Public domain. Read source →
  • MedlinePlus excerpt

    Endometriosis occurs when cells from the lining of your womb (uterus) grow in other areas of your body. This can cause pain, heavy vaginal bleeding, vaginal bleeding between periods, and problems getting

    Excerpt from MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Read source →
  • Wikipedia excerpt

    Endometriosis (Medical condition)
    Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the endometrium—the lining of the uterus (womb)—grows elsewhere in the body. The tissue most often grows close to the uterus, such as on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or the lining of the pelvis. It can also appear on the bowel, bladder, and in some cases on the lungs or skin.

    Lead paragraph from Wikipedia under CC-BY-SA 4.0. Read source →
  • Hilgers, NaProTECHNOLOGY excerpt

    The first written description of this disease was by a German physician, Daniel Shroen, in 1690. It is thought to affect about 5 million American women, although that is almost certainly an underestimate. In a researc…

    Excerpted from Hilgers TW, The Medical and Surgical Practice of NaProTECHNOLOGY, Pope Paul VI Institute Press.

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This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.