Two Cases Of The Pelvic Actinomycosis Associated With The Intestinal Obstruction.

Yoon, Joo Hee; Lee, Sang Hee; Son, Hwa Jeong; Jeong, Mi Young; Kim, Sok Won; Kim, Jin Woo; Han, Ku Teak; Ryu, Ki Sung

Case Report

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2002;45(8):1396-1401.
Published online August 1, 2002.

Two Cases Of The Pelvic Actinomycosis Associated With The Intestinal Obstruction.

Joo Hee Yoon, Sang Hee Lee, Hwa Jeong Son, Mi Young Jeong, Sok Won Kim, Jin Woo Kim, Ku Teak Han, Ki Sung Ryu

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Pelvic actinomycosis is a chronic, progressive, granulomatous and suppurative disease caused by an anaerobic or microaerobic Gram-positive organism, not fungi. Actinomyces species exhibit branching, filamentous growth and appear in the human skin, oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract. Actinomyces infection in human is relatively rare, however, prolonged use of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) is a well known risk factor of pelvic actinomycosis. Pelvic actinomycosis can mimick pelvic malignancy leading to mutilating surgical excision, and diagnostic problems necessitated a laparotomy in many patients. The pathohistological diagnosis is based on the characteristic microscopic image and specific staining of sulfur granule. Adequate surgical excision and administration of antibiotics show good prognosis. We experienced 2 cases of pelvic actinomycosis with the intestinal obstruction, confirmed patho- histologically after laparotomy.

Key Words: Pelvic actinomycosis, intestinal obstruction, intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD)