ENDOMETRIOSIS OF THE UMBILICUS

Abstract

T HE pathological entity known as endometriosis may be defined as the presence of physiologically active uterine mucosa in areas of the body outside the uterine cavity. The first recorded description of the condition is ascribed to von Rokitanskyl who, in 1860, described an adenomyoma, so it is evident that the existence of endometrial ectopia has been known for many years. Following this, there were only scattered reports until 1895, when von Recklinghausen* described the condition and postulated a theory as to its origin. It remained for Sampson,s with a series of beautifully reasoned and written studies, beginning in 1921, to call attention to its frequency and importance, and to propose a hypothesis as to its pathogenesis. This served as a stimulus to awaken widespread interest, and resulted in numerous reports on all phases of endometriosis which have since found a place in the gynecological literature. Novak,4 in his presidential address to the American Gynecological Society in 1948, stated that Sampson’s work constituted one of the two most important American contributions to the progress of gynecology in the past quarter century.