Objective(s): To establish an experimental bowel endometriosis model in the rat and to investigate regional lymph node involvement.
Study design: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to autologous transplantation of endometrial tissue to the ileocecum by laparotomy. After two months, endometriotic lesions and mesenteric lymph nodes were harvested by repeat laparotomy subjected to histologic assessment regarding the histologically verified presence of endometriosis in the ileocecum and in mesenteric lymph nodes.
Result(s): A total of 20 rats were subjected to autologous transplantation of endometrial tissue to the ileocecum. Ileocecal endometriosis was successfully induced in 19/20 (95%) rats. In 18/20 animals, the mesenteric lymph node was identified and resected. Regional lymph node involvement by endometriosis was identified in 0/18 mesenteric lymph nodes.
Conclusion(s): Endometriosis can be successfully induced in a rat model by autologous transplantation of endometrial tissue. In this experimental rodent endometriosis model, regional mesenteric lymph node involvement by endometriosis was not identified.