Reconstruction of abdominal wall and vulvar defects after endometriosis resection

Abstract

Introduction: Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue (endometrial glands and stroma) outside the uterine cavity. However, only a few cases of extrapelvic endometriosis have been described in the literature. Methods: This study reports the case of a patient from the author's plastic surgery service who underwent surgery in September 2013 at a hospital in Brasília, Federal District, Brazil. The study was conducted according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, and the patient signed an informed consent form. Results: A 30-year-old female patient presented with dysmenorrhea, pain, and paresthesia in the right inguinal region as well as a firm nodule in the labia majora with scars from two surgical resections of endometriosis. The gynecology team performed endoscopic resection of the uterine cavity lesions, inguinal canal content, nodules in the right labia majora, umbilical scar, and part of the aponeurosis. The abdominal wall and vulvar defects caused by the resection were repaired using a laterally based random lower abdominal flap as one of the vertices of a Z-plasty. Conclusion: The flap described in this study is an alternative and satisfactory method for repairing large defects in the inguinal and vulvar regions.

Keywords

• reconstruction
• vulva
• abdomen
• plastic surgery
• endometriosis