Tuboovarian abscess mimicking intraligamentar uterine myoma and a intrauterine device: A case report

Abstract

A case study is presented of tubo-ovarian abscess (pathohystological-verified actinomycosis) in a 41-year-old woman with an intrauterine device (IUD), which on US was found to be imposed upon an intraligamentary degenerated myoma (pyomyoma). The patient was afebrile, with normal vital functions (diuresis, blood pressure and pulse). Exposure of the abdominal cavity by lower transverse laparotomy performed under general endotracheal anaesthesia revealed slight uterus enlargement with normal left adnexa, whereas right adnexa were not exposed due to the soft tumour in the region of the right ligamentum latum, which displaced the urinary bladder and uterus leftward. The peritoneum fold was incised and deprepared, revealing a tumorous formation imposed onto the myoma or onto the ‘cold’ tubo-ovarian abscess. Total hysterectomy was then performed. Left adnexa showed a normal finding. Hemalaun-eosin staining of the preparation of the tumour capsule and tumour content showed colonies of threads extending radially to the surrounding tissues (drusen), surrounded by pus corpuscles, polymorphonuclears and macrophages containing lipids (sulfur granules). The patient was free from disease relapse at 2 years after the procedure. Thus, total abdominal hysterectomy and salpingoophorectomy, along with antibiotic therapy, were the definite mode of treatment for pelvic actinomycosis.