Treatment strategy for pelvic actinomycosis: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Pelvic actinomycosis is a chronic granulomatous suppurative disease caused by an anaerobic Gram positive organism Actinomyces israelii usually associated with intra-uterine devices. Pelvic actinomycosis can mimick pelvic or intra-abdominal malignancy leading to mutilating surgical exeresis. Results: We present a pelvic actinomycosis secondary to long-standing intra-uterine device use in a 50-year old European woman treated by intravenous antibiotic therapy, and then by a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingoophorectomy to free the pelvis from abscess. We point out the difficulty in diagnosis, and the importance of high-dose intravenous antibiotic therapy to reduce the very high risk for nearby pelvic structure injuries, reported in the literature, leading to post-operative morbidity.