4 Cases of pelvic actinomycosis associated with intrauterine contraceptive device.

Hyung, Woo Jin; Kim, Min Woo; Kim, Min Kyung; Chang, Doo Young; Jeon, Myung Kwon; Lee, Eung Soo

Case Report

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2005;48(2):509-518.
Published online February 1, 2005.

4 Cases of pelvic actinomycosis associated with intrauterine contraceptive device.

Woo Jin Hyung, Min Woo Kim, Min Kyung Kim, Doo Young Chang, Myung Kwon Jeon, Eung Soo Lee

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Gyeonggi, Korea. doogie@ilsanpaik.ac.kr
²Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Gyeonggi, Korea.

Abstract

Pelvic actinomycosis is a rare chronic anaerobic infectious disease, which occurs most commonly in association with an IUD. It is difficult to diagnose the disease initially. In most cases, the diagnosis is made postoperatively because of its diverse clinical manifestations and courses. Besides it is frequently misdiagnosed as pelvic malignancy or endometriosis. If physician has a full understand to these characteristics of pelvic actinomycosis, the use of preoperative antibiotics can reduce the risk of pelvic structure injuries and then a patient can be saved from an extensive surgical procedure. We experienced four cases of pelvic actinomycosis complicated by tubo-ovarian abscess in women wearing IUD and report it with a brief review. In three cases, it was helpful that preoperative intravenous antibiotics therapy.

Key Words: Pelvic actinomycosis, Intrauterine devices (IUD)