An unusual cause of pelvic pain and fever: periurethral abscess from an infected urethral diverticulum.
BACKGROUND
The evaluation of patients with pelvic pain is a common task for emergency physicians. Accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause of pelvic pain in women is often difficult given the diversity of pathology that can generate pelvic pain.


OBJECTIVE
To report a rare but clinically significant cause of acute pelvic pain in women.


METHODS
We describe a rare case of a periurethral abscess secondary to an infected urethral diverticulum in a 41-year-old woman. She presented to our Emergency Department with pelvic pain, dysuria, and fever of 4 days duration.


CONCLUSIONS
Physical examination, imaging studies, and surgery aided in confirming the diagnosis of a periurethral abscess.
Butler
Jack M
JM
Department of Emergency Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79905, USA.
Bennetsen
Derek
D
Dias
Augusto
A
D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D035583:Rare Diseases; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents