Primary umbilical endometriosis: Radical excision (omphalectomy) and laparoscopic management of associated pelvic endometriosis in a low resource tertiary hospital

Primary umbilical endometriosis (PUE) is a rare condition affecting 0.5 – 1% of all extragenital endometriosis cases. We reviewed the data of five women with umbilical endometriosis retrospectively. The age range was 29 – 46 years, and they were all nulligravid at presentation. Common clinical presentation was umbilical pain and masses, dysmenorrhea, and primary infertility. Radical umbilical excision was performed to remove the nodule as a definitive treatment. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed, followed by varying degrees of operative laparoscopic procedures. They all had endometriosis in the pelvis. Three out of five women operated became pregnant and had live births. Complete resolution of clinical symptoms with a reduction in umbilical and menstrual pain scores occurred. In resource-constrained settings, diagnosis, and treatment of PUE may be challenging. Clinical suspicion and appropriate case management are critical for good reproductive outcomes and quality of life. (Afr J Reprod Health 2021; 25[4]: 167-173).