title: Pelvic actinomycosis mimicking ovarian malignancy: three cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Three cases of pelvic actinomycosis initially diagnosed as pelvic malignancy and treated surgically are reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first case was a 38-year-old multiparous woman who was referred to our clinic because of bilateral ovarian solid masses. With the impression of ovarian carcinoma, a laparotomy was performed. During surgery adhesiolysis, total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, infracolic omentectomy, appendectomy, peritoneal washings, and peritoneal abscess drainage were performed. The second patient was a 37-year-old woman who presented with a left-sided fixed solid mass highly suggestive of pelvic malignancy. Both ureters were found to be dilated with hydronephrosis in the right kidney supporting the diagnosis of retroperitoneal fibrosis. Excision of the mass, colectomy and temporary diverting colostomy and stent insertion to the left ureter were performed. Colostomy repair was performed five months later. On the fifth day postoperatively, fascial necrosis developed so a Bogota-bag was placed on the anterior abdominal wall and left for secondary healing. The third patient was a 51-year-old postmenopausal woman incidentally diagnosed as having a pelvic mass while having been investigated for constipation and nausea. She had had a colostomy one year before and a reanastomosis two months after. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed. In all cases, histopathologic staining of the specimens revealed chronic inflammation containing actinomycosis abscesses confirmed with microbiologic identification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pelvic actinomycosis is an uncommon cause of a pelvic mass. However, it should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of pelvic masses, especially in the patients with a history of IUD use to avoid an unnecessary extensive surgical procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. akhan93@hotmail.com
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Akhan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhan
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Iyibozkurt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Topuz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yalcin
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D010388:Pelvis / Q000382:microbiology