Tubal endometriosis (EM) refers to the detection of ectopic endometrial implants on tubes. It may cause a significant defect of the tubes, translating into dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, and infertility. We aimed to evaluate the disease characteristics, prevalence, histopathological findings and genetic profile of patients with tubal EM. A thorough search of three electronic databases was performed for studies that presented outcomes of patients with tubal EM. Thirteen studies (four observational, seven case reports, two genetic) were considered eligible for inclusion. The prevalence of tubal EM ranged from 6.9% to 69%. The predominant symptoms for referral of patients were infertility and abdominal pain. Women of reproductive age underwent salpingectomy for the management of the disease. Only one case of malignant transformation was recorded in a 60-year-old patient. The prevalence of tubal EM ranges depending on the indication for surgery, the presence of concomitant pelvic EM and the type of diagnosis and treatment. Further, more extensive, larger studies are warranted to evaluate the impact of tubal EM in the progression and prognosis of EM, the effect of salpingectomy in the improvement of disease-related symptoms and to designate the group of patients that could benefit from risk-reducing salpingectomy based on the risk of developing ovarian malignancy.
Keywords: endometriosis; fallopian tube; prevalence; tubal endometriosis.