Endometriosis is the term for endometrial implants (pieces of the uterine lining, or, endometrium) that traverse the Fallopian tubes and spill into the pelvic and abdominal cavity. Endometrial implants behave like normal endometrial tissue, i.e., they thicken and bleed every month. The blood that comes in contact with the organs and lining of the abdominal and pelvic cavity where the implants have landed are caustic and cause injury and scar tissue. Depending on the location of the implants, symptoms can range from unusually painful menstrual cramps, to diarrhea, gas, nausea and constipation, pain with intercourse, pain with urination, abdominal pain and pelvic pain. Once adhesions form, the symptoms can be very variable depending on the involvement of the organs and the arrangement of the scar tissue. Endometriosis is usually a clinical diagnosis, meaning the diagnosis is made by history. Endometriosis is only definitively diagnosed by directly visualizing the implants by laparoscopy.
Endometrial implants medical expert witness specialties include gynecology, urogynecology, robotic gynecology, anesthesiology, and urology.