A case of ovarian actinomycosis.
BACKGROUND
Pelvic actinomycosis is uncommon and often presents as a complication of an intrauterine device (IUD). A diagnosis of actinomycosis can be made from the finding of sulfur granules within inflammatory exudate on histologic examination after surgery. However, it may be possible to diagnose actinomycosis before surgery by finding Actinomyces-like organisms on Papanicolaou smears.


METHODS
A 41-year-old woman had been diagnosed as having a pelvic abscess, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. She had been an IUD user for 6 years. Actinomyces-like organisms were detected in her previous Papanicolaou cervical smears. If the patient had been treated when the Actinomyces-like organisms were detected by Papanicolaou smears, the serious ovarian actinomycosis might have been avoided.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that routine cervical examinations are important for women who are IUD users.
Iwasaki
Masahiro
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Japan. miwasaki@sapmed.ac.jp
Nishikawa
Akira
A
Akutagawa
Noriyuki
N
Fujimoto
Takashi
T
Teramoto
Mizue
M
Kudo
Ryuichi
R
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods; D007434:Intrauterine Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009869:Oophoritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents