Occult microscopic endometriosis is a form of endometriosis that’s difficult for doctors to detect with standard diagnostic techniques. Symptoms include pelvic pain that worsens before or during your period.
Occult microscopic endometriosis happens when tiny patches of endometrial tissue grow in areas outside the uterus. Unlike standard endometriosis, which doctors can see when they look inside your pelvis, occult microscopic endometriosis is very difficult to detect.
In medicine, “occult” means “hidden.”
This article discusses occult microscopic endometriosis, its symptoms, how doctors diagnose it, and its treatment options.
Occult microscopic endometriosis happens when tiny, microscopic patches of endometrial tissue grow outside the uterus. These patches aren’t visible during typical diagnostic procedures.
Research on microscopic endometriosis is limited. Some research has shown the presence of microscopic endometrial lesions in tissue samples.
These tiny lesions can be present in people with visible endometriosis and those with no visible symptoms of the condition.
Occult microscopic endometriosis might cause symptoms similar to typical endometriosis, but research is too limited to know for sure.
People with no symptoms of endometriosis can have tissue samples that test positive for microscopic endometriosis. This means it’s possible that symptoms like pelvic pain and severe period cramps could be unrelated to these microscopic lesions.
But in one study from 2013, women with visible endometriosis were more likely to also have occult microscopic endometriosis in the pelvic cavity than women without the condition.
A 2020 study looked at the occurrence of occult microscopic endometriosis in 142 people with chronic pelvic pain and no visible endometriosis in the peritoneum during laparoscopy. The study found that about
This could indicate that occult microscopic endometriosis causes chronic pelvic pain. This pain may be ongoing or worsen before or during your periods.
Some people may also experience other symptoms typical of endometriosis, such as:
The gold-standard diagnostic protocol for endometriosis is laparoscopy, with confirmation from tissue analysis. During a laparoscopy, your doctor uses an instrument called a laparoscope to look at your abdominal cavity, pelvis, organs, and peritoneum.
Surgeons typically take tissue samples from areas where they see endometrial lesions. If you have occult microscopic endometriosis in other areas, it’s difficult for your surgeon to determine which tissue to sample.
More thorough testing for microscopic endometriosis could include random tissue sampling of your pelvic cavity. It may also include advanced laparoscopic techniques that allow for better visualization of endometrial lesions. These techniques, which may be unavailable today, could include:
- 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced fluorescence
- autofluorescence imaging
- narrow-band imaging
- indocyanine green near-infrared imaging
- 3D laparoscopy
Your doctor may recommend treatment if they believe occult microscopic endometriosis is causing your pain or other symptoms.
Hormone-regulating therapy can help slow the growth of endometrial lesions and prevent new ones from forming.
There are different types of hormone-regulating medications, including:
- gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists and antagonists
- aromatase inhibitors
- hormonal contraceptives
During a laparoscopy, surgeons can remove or destroy visible endometrial patches. This can help relieve the symptoms of endometriosis in some people.
The fact that endometriosis often comes back in the years following surgery suggests that some cells may be left behind.
Depending on the location of your endometriosis, surgical procedures could include:
- excision or ablation during laparoscopy
- bowel resection
- resection of scar tissue
If you experience severe symptoms like pain, your doctor may prescribe medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium to help ease them.
Here are some common questions about occult microscopic endometriosis:
Can you have regular endometriosis and occult microscopic endometriosis?
It’s possible to have regular endometriosis and occult microscopic endometriosis. There might be a slightly higher occurrence of occult microscopic endometriosis in people with visible endometriosis than in those without it.
Can occult microscopic endometriosis affect fertility?
There’s no evidence that occult microscopic endometriosis has any effect on fertility. But, regular, visible endometriosis can contribute to infertility.
Can occult microscopic endometriosis cause endometriosis to recur after surgery?
Researchers believe microscopic endometrial lesions are biologically active and can retain their growth potential, possibly leading to the recurrence of endometriosis after surgery.
- Occult microscopic endometriosis means endometriosis that isn’t visible with standard diagnostic techniques like laparoscopy.
- Research into occult microscopic endometriosis is limited, but people with and without visible endometriosis have reported cases of it.
- Growths that are more difficult to see are also harder to test for and treat.
Endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri ni aina ya endometriosis ambayo ni ngumu kwa madaktari kugundua kwa mbinu za kawaida za utambuzi. Dalili za ugonjwa huo ni maumivu ya kiuno ambayo huongezeka kabla au wakati wa hedhi. Endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri hutokea wakati patches ndogo za tishu ya endometrial kukua katika maeneo nje ya tumbo la uzazi. Tofauti na endometriosis ya kawaida, ambayo madaktari wanaweza kuona wanapoangalia ndani ya paji la uzazi, endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri ni ngumu sana kugundua. Katika tiba, neno <unk> occult<unk> linamaanisha <unk> siri.<unk> Makala hii inazungumzia endometriosis ya microscopic ya occult, dalili zake, jinsi madaktari wanavyoigundua, na njia zake za matibabu. Endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri hutokea wakati vipande vidogo, vidogo vya tishu ya endometrial kinapokua nje ya tumbo la uzazi. Vipande hivi havionekani wakati wa taratibu za kawaida za utambuzi. Utafiti kuhusu endometriosis ya darubini ni mdogo. Utafiti fulani umeonyesha kwamba kuna vidonda vidogo vya endometrial katika sampuli za tishu. Matatizo haya madogo yanaweza kuwapo kwa watu wenye endometriosis inayoonekana na wale wasio na dalili za hali hiyo. Endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri inaweza kusababisha dalili sawa na endometriosis ya kawaida, lakini utafiti ni mdogo sana kujua kwa uhakika. Watu wasio na dalili za endometriosis wanaweza kuwa na sampuli za tishu ambazo zinaonyesha endometriosis ya microscopic. Hii ina maana inawezekana kwamba dalili kama maumivu ya pelvic na maumivu makali ya kipindi inaweza kuwa unrelated kwa majeraha haya microscopic. Katika utafiti uliofanywa mwaka 2013, wanawake walio na endometriosis ya kuonekana walikuwa na uwezekano mkubwa wa kuwa na endometriosis ya microscopic katika utando wa pelvic kuliko wanawake wasio na hali hiyo. Utafiti wa mwaka 2020 ulichunguza endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri kwa watu 142 wenye maumivu ya pelvic ya muda mrefu na hakuna endometriosis inayoonekana katika peritoneum wakati wa laparoscopy. Utafiti huo uligundua kuwa hii inaweza kuonyesha kwamba endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri husababisha maumivu ya pelvic ya muda mrefu. Maumivu haya yanaweza kuendelea au kuongezeka kabla au wakati wa hedhi yako. Kwa sababu ya dalili za kawaida za endometriosis, upasuaji wa laparoscopy ni bora zaidi. Wakati wa laparoscopy, daktari wako hutumia kifaa kinachoitwa laparoscope kuangalia tumbo lako, pelvis, viungo, na peritoneum. Kwa kawaida madaktari wa upasuaji huchukua sampuli za tishu kutoka maeneo ambako wanaona majeraha ya endometrial. Kama una endometriosis microscopic siri katika maeneo mengine, ni vigumu kwa daktari wako wa upasuaji kuamua ambayo tishu kuchukua sampuli. Uchunguzi wa kina zaidi wa endometriosis ya darubini waweza kutia ndani kuchukua sampuli za tishu za ghafula za shimo lako la kiuno. Inaweza pia kutia ndani mbinu za hali ya juu za laparoscopic ambazo huruhusu kuona vizuri zaidi vidonda vya endometrial. Kwa mfano, kama unajua, kuna njia kadhaa za kugundua endometriosis ya microscopic: 5-aminoleucine-induced fluorescence, autofluorescence imaging, narrow-band imaging, indocyanine-green near-infrared imaging, 3D laparoscopy, na upimaji wa endometriosis ya microscopic. Tiba ya kudhibiti homoni yaweza kusaidia kupunguza ukuzi wa vidonda vya endometrial na kuzuia vidonda vipya visijitokeze. Kuna aina tofauti za dawa za kudhibiti homoni, ikiwa ni pamoja na: - gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists na antagonists - aromatase inhibitors - hormonal contraceptives Wakati wa laparoscopy, madaktari wa upasuaji wanaweza kuondoa au kuharibu patches endometrial inayoonekana. Hii inaweza kusaidia kupunguza dalili za endometriosis kwa watu fulani. Ukweli kwamba endometriosis mara nyingi hurudi miaka mingi baada ya upasuaji unaonyesha kwamba huenda chembe fulani zikatoweka. Kwa sababu ya hali ya endometriosis, matibabu ya upasuaji yanaweza kujumuisha: - excision au ablation wakati wa laparoscopy - uondoaji wa utumbo - uondoaji wa tishu ya kidonda - Ikiwa una dalili kali kama maumivu, daktari wako anaweza kuagiza dawa kama vile ibuprofen na naproxen sodium kusaidia kupunguza. "Kama unajua, kuna baadhi ya dalili za ""occult microscopic endometriosis"" ambazo ni dalili za kawaida za utoaji mimba." Inawezekana kuwa na endometriosis ya kawaida na endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri. Ugonjwa wa endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri huonekana mara nyingi zaidi kwa watu wenye endometriosis inayoonekana kuliko kwa wale wasio na endometriosis. Je, ugonjwa wa endometriosis unaofunikwa kwa njia ya darubini waweza kuathiri uzazi? Hakuna ushahidi kwamba endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri ina athari yoyote kwenye uzazi. Endometriosis inayoonekana kwa kawaida inaweza kusababisha utasa. Je, endometriosis ya microscopic ya siri inaweza kusababisha endometriosis kurudi baada ya upasuaji? Watafiti wanaamini kwamba vidonda vidogo vya endometrium vinaweza kuhifadhi uwezo wao wa kukua, na hivyo kusababisha endometriosis kurudi baada ya upasuaji. - Occult microscopic endometriosis ina maana endometriosis ambayo si inayoonekana na mbinu za kawaida za utambuzi kama laparoscopy. - Utafiti juu ya endometriosis ya kioo ya siri ni mdogo, lakini watu wenye na wasio na endometriosis inayoonekana wameripoti visa vya ugonjwa huo. - Vipande vya mwili ambavyo ni vigumu kuona pia ni vigumu kuvijaribu na kutibu.