Case report. Pelvic inflammatory disease as a complication of acute appendicitis

Abstract

Introduction: Acute appendicitis is a frequent cause of abdominal pain and its most frequent complication is surgical site infection, with pelvic involvement being very rare. The following is a case of a patient with pelvic inflammatory disease as postoperative complication after appendectomy. The patient was admitted for abdominal pain several weeks after an appendectomy, without signs of incisional surgical site infection but with a CT scan that reported a left hydrosalpinx. The patient progresses with clinical deterioration despite resuscitation with crystalloids and broadspectrum antibiotics. A laparotomy was performed for infection control. A left hydrosalpinx was found and needed a second surgery due to right adnexal involvement. After this she recovered. Conclusion: Pelvic inflammatory disease is a rare but possible etiology of the acute abdomen in patients who’s never had sexual intercourse.

Keywords

• appendectomy
• pelvic inflammatory disease
• salpingitis