[China Tech] Rare endometriosis on fingers treated with Western and TCM therapy

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A top Shanghai maternity and gynecology hospital's targeted diagnosis and integrated treatment helped a 19-year-old college student recover from a rare medical condition that caused unexplained monthly finger bleeding and severe sleep disturbances for years.

Wang, a sophomore, had spontaneous finger bleeding, swelling, and throbbing pain every month for two to three years. She suffered from chronic insomnia, daytime listlessness, anxiety, and fatigue due to frequent nocturnal bleeding, which disrupted her studies and daily life. She thought her symptoms were from an unhealed finger injury and visited multiple hospitals, but no diagnosis was made, and her condition did not improve.

She finally found relief from progressive dysmenorrhea at the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital. A team led by Dr Xu Hong, vice president and chief gynecologist at the hospital, diagnosed her with a rare case of pelvic and extrapelvic endometriosis and a 7-centimeter chocolate cyst on her left ovary.

Endometriosis, a condition where endometrial tissue grows outside the uterine cavity, affects 10 percent to 15 percent of healthy women in China, and the rate surges to 20 percent to 90 percent among those with chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea or infertility. Clinically, finger endometriosis is rare. Wang's finger bleeding was highly synchronized with her menstrual cycle, a sign of endometriosis, because ectopic endometrial tissue bleeds with ovarian hormone changes. After a minor trauma, endometrial tissue may have spread to the fingertip via the blood or lymphatic system.

The medical team used laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery to remove Wang's ovarian cyst while preserving ovarian function due to her young age. The hospital's traditional Chinese medicine gynecology team used herbal medicine, acupuncture, and acupoint massage to regulate blood circulation, improve sleep, and prevent recurrence after surgery.

After over a month of combined treatment, Wang's finger bleeding stopped, her sleep improved, and her anxiety and fatigue symptoms subsided.

The hospital is adopting a multidimensional precise diagnosis strategy and a full-life cycle management approach for endometriosis, combining minimally invasive surgery and personalized medication, as well as TCM-Western medicine integrated care.

Endometriosis is chronic but treatable, but its varied symptoms often lead to misdiagnosing it, doctors say. Women with progressive dysmenorrhea, abnormal menstruation, unexplained pelvic pain, cyclic bleeding in unusual body parts, and long-term sleep disorders should see a gynecologist for early detection and treatment.

If you go

Xuhui Branch: 910 Hengshan Rd

Fengxian Branch: 168 Wanghe Rd

The consultation hotline for the hospital's international medical department is 021-64470399, 021-64074887, 021-64265988 from 8am to 5pm on Working days.

The hotline offers service in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

The hospital is covered by commercial insurance.