What is endometriosis and adenomyosis?

We all know that having a healthy body is a happy thing, but the most troublesome thing for female friends is the trouble of gynecological diseases. Gynecological diseases are diseases that we cannot ignore, and there are many types of gynecological diseases. Among them, endometriosis adenomyosis is a more common one. It is different from endometriosis. In order to distinguish the two clearly, let us understand what endometriosis adenomyosis is.

What is endometriosis and adenomyosis?

Adenomyosis is a disease in which endometriosis forms on the myometrium of the uterus and is considered internal endometriosis. Normal endometrium only grows on the surface of the uterine cavity. If it grows downward beyond this range and invades the muscle layer, it becomes a disease called adenomyosis.

Trauma of the uterine wall during multiple pregnancies and childbirth and chronic endometritis are the main causes of this disease. Serial section examinations of adenomyosis specimens revealed that some endometrial lesions in the myometrium were directly connected to the endometrium on the uterine cavity surface. In addition, since there is a lack of submucosal layer under the basement membrane of the endometrium and adenomyosis is often accompanied by uterine fibroids and endometrial hyperplasia, some people believe that the invasion of the basal endometrium into the myometrium may be related to the stimulation of high estrogen.

There are two types of intrauterine lesions: diffuse and localized. Generally, they grow diffusely and often involve the posterior wall, so the posterior wall is often thicker than the anterior wall. When the uterine wall is dissected, it can be seen that its muscle layer is significantly thickened and hard. There is no obvious and regular spiral structure seen in the cross section of the uterus. Only thick muscle fiber bands and microcystic cavities are seen in the muscle wall, and old blood can occasionally be seen in the cavity. A small number of endometrium grows locally in the myometrium to form nodules or masses, similar to intramural fibroids, which are called adenomyomas.

The difference between adenomyoma and myoma is that there is no capsule around it, so there is no obvious boundary with the surrounding muscle layer, making it difficult to peel it out of the muscle layer. Since ectopic endometrial cells belong to the basal layer of the endometrium, they are insensitive to ovarian hormones, especially progesterone, and because ectopic glands are often in the proliferative phase, secretory phase changes are only occasionally seen in local areas. Microscopic examination revealed island-like distribution of endometrial glands and stroma within the myometrium.

The above is an introduction to what endometriosis adenomyosis is. I believe many friends understand the difference between it and endometriosis. We all know that the female body structure is particularly complex, and the symptoms of many gynecological diseases are also similar. In order to better treat the disease, we must seek medical attention in time when there is a problem with the body.