When we think of endometriosis, size does not usually factor into our concerns. If you look at and endometriotic implant such as these ones, which are between 1 and 5mm in size, they typically tend to be quite small. In fact some patches of endometriosis are so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye. The only exceptions are endometriomas (or chocolate cysts), which are ovarian cysts of varying size that are caused by endometriosis. Endometriomas can range from being small (like the size of a marble), to being quite large (like the size of a grapefruit). Generally any endometriomas in excess of 5cm requires surgical attention.
Spare a thought then for the woman who is the subject of the following case study published in the Journal Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The report states that a 51 year old, morbidly obese woman was admitted to hospital with anaemia, respiratory problems and kidney failure, so her story doesn’t start well. Further investigation revealed a large mass in her abdomen that had to be surgically removed. Analysis of this mass found it to be an astounding 64Kg (that’s just over 10 stone) of endometrioma.
I’m not sure but I think that’s some sort of record.
