---
title: Can endometriosis grow around the sacral nerves and cause leg pain and bladder problems?
description: Yes. Endometriosis can grow around the sacral nerves, causing leg pain around menstruation and bladder problems that surgery can fix.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/sacral-nerve-infiltrative-endometriosis-presenting-as-perimenstrual-right-sided-2012/
---

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- Can endometriosis grow around the sacral nerves and cause leg pain and bladder problems?

Case report, 2012

# Can endometriosis grow around the sacral nerves and cause leg pain and bladder problems?

Yes. Endometriosis can grow around the sacral nerves, causing leg pain around menstruation and bladder problems that surgery can fix.

 Early or limited evidence

1 woman, age 38, with endometriosis around the sacral nerves

## What they did

Doctors described a 38-year-old woman who had had 2 previous surgeries for endometriosis. She had pain in her right leg around her menstrual period and trouble emptying her bladder. Doctors used MRI imaging to examine her pelvis and then performed surgery to explore and treat the affected nerves.

## What they found

Endometriosis was growing around the sacral nerves in the lower spine, trapping the nerve roots. Blood vessels were also compressing the nerves. The surgical exam showed pain response and numbness in the affected nerve areas. After surgery to remove the endometriosis and decompress the nerves, her bladder function returned to normal by day 2, and her pain went away.

## What it means for you

Women with leg pain around their period and bladder problems should be tested for endometriosis around the sacral nerves. Surgery can help restore function. The main limit is this describes only one case.

2

previous surgeries for endometriosis

38

patient's age

2

days to restore normal bladder function after surgery

## About the study

Original title Sacral nerve infiltrative endometriosis presenting as perimenstrual right-sided sciatica and bladder atonia: case report and description of surgical technique Authors Lemos N, Kamergorodsky G, Ploger C et al. Journal Journal of minimally invasive gynecology Year 2012 Study design Case report What was tested Surgical removal of endometriosis and nerve decompression Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.jmig.2012.02.001](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmig.2012.02.001)

## Topics

[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Endometriosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-endometriosis/)

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