Tubo-ovarian abscess

Background

• Typically a complication of PID, although inflammatory bowel, appendicitis, and hematologic nidius have been reported
• Mortality if not ruptured: <1% if treated; 2-4% if untreated
• Infections are often polymicrobial
  • Common organisms: Escherichia coli, aerobic streptococci, Bacteroides fragilis, Prevotella, Peptostreptococcus
  • N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis are rarely culprit organisms

Risk factors

• Multiple sex partners
• Age 15-25 years old
• Prior history of PID
• IUD
• HIV infection

Clinical Features

• +/-Fever
• Vaginal discharge
• Dyspareunia
• Disproportionate unilateral adnexal tenderness or adnexal mass or fullness
• Suspect in patient who does not respond after 72hr of treatment for PID

Differential Diagnosis

Acute Pelvic Pain

Differential diagnosis of acute pelvic pain

Gynecologic/Obstetric

• Normal variants may be noted on exam but generally do not cause pain or other symptoms
  • Nabothian cysts: Epithelial cells within mucous glans that appear as yellow inclusions on the cervix
  • Cervical Ectropion: Edothelial cells on the exterior of the cervix
  • Parous cervix: The is no longer round but may have multiple shapes after birth
• Pregnancy-related
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Spontaneous abortion, threatened or incomplete
  • Septic abortion
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Acute Infections
  • Herpes
  • Cervicitis
  • Endometritis
  • Bartholin gland abscess
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  • Tubo-ovarian abscess
• Vulvovaginitis
  • Bacterial Vaginosis
  • Candida Vaginitis
  • Trichomonas
  • Contact Vulvovaginitis
  • Atrophic vaginitis
• Adnexal Disorders
  • Hemorrhage/rupture of ovarian cyst
  • Ovarian torsion
  • Twisted paraovarian cyst
• Other
  • Myoma (degenerating)
  • Genitourinary trauma
  • Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
  • Sexual assault
• Recurrent
  • Mittelschmerz
  • Primary/Secondary Dysmenorrhea
  • Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
  • Endometriosis

Genitourinary

• Cystitis
• Pyelonephritis
• Urethritis (e.g. N. gonorrhoeae/Chlamydia)
• Urolithiasis

Gastrointestinal

• Gastroenteritis
• Appendicitis
• Bowel obstruction
• Perirectal abscess
• Diverticulitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Mesenteric adenitis

Musculoskeletal

• Abdominal wall hematoma
• Psoas hematoma, psoas abscess
• Hernia

Vascular

• Pelvic thrombophlebitis
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Ischemic bowel (Mesenteric Ischemia)

Evaluation

• CBC
• ESR/CRP
• Transvaginal pelvic ultrasound (Sn 75-82%)
• CT pelvis (Sn 78-100%) - preferred in patients in whom associated GI pathology must be excluded

Management

• OB/GYN consult
• Majority (60-80%) resolve with antibiotics alone

Outpatient

• Ceftriaxone 250mg IM once PLUS doxycycline 100mg PO BID x14 days
• Add metronidazole 500mg PO BID x14 days if suspicion of bacterial vaginitis or gyn instrumentation in preceding 2-3 wks

Inpatient

• Cefoxitin 2gm IV q6hr OR cefotetan 2gm IV q12hr) + doxycycline PO or IV 100mg q12hr OR
• Clindamycin 900mg IV q8h + gentamicin 2mg/kg QD OR
• Ampicillin-sulbactam 3gm IV q6hr + doxycycline 100mg IV/PO q12hr

Disposition

• Decision should be made in conjunction with gynecological colleague
• Patient with fevers, elevated WBC, abscess greater than 5 cm, or systemic toxicity demand admission
• Hemodynamically stable, afebrile patients with a relatively small abscess can be safely discharged with close gynecological follow up on antibiotics

See Also

• PID