Case Report
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. May 16, 2013; 1(2): 82-83
Published online May 16, 2013. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v1.i2.82
A vaginal drain of a pelvic abscess due to colonic diverticulitis
Marco Milone, Miguel Emilio Sosa Fernandez, Piero Venetucci, Paola Maietta, Loredana Maria Sosa Fernandez, Caterina Taffuri, Francesco Milone
Marco Milone, Miguel Emilio Sosa Fernandez, Piero Venetucci, Paola Maietta, Loredana Maria Sosa Fernandez, Caterina Taffuri, Francesco Milone, Department of Advanced Biomedical Science, University “Federico II” of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
Author contributions: Milone M and Sosa Fernandez ME designed the report; Venetucci P performed image diagnosis; Maietta P, Sosa Fernandez LM and Taffuri C contributed to the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data; Milone F made the final approval of the version to be published.
Correspondence to: Marco Milone, MD, Department of Advanced Biomedical Science, University “Federico II” of Naples, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. milone.marco@alice.it
Telephone: +39-81-7463067 Fax: +39-81-7462896
Received: January 27, 2013
Revised: March 7, 2013
Accepted: April 10, 2013
Published online: May 16, 2013
Processing time: 109 Days and 11.7 Hours
Abstract

Although well recognized for tubo-ovarian abscesses, we report, in our best knowledge, the first case of a vaginal drain of a pelvic abscess due to colonic diverticulitis. A 78-year-old patient presented with abdominal and pelvic pain, fever (39.3 °C) and an elevated white blood cell count (18500/mL). After abdominopelvic computed tomography the patient was presumed to have a pelvic abscess, which developed as a complication of the sigmoid diverticulitis. Due to the numerous intervening structures that create obstacles to safe percutaneous access, we planned a trans-vaginal drain. A rapid recovery was obtained within 2 d from the procedure and, at present, the follow-up was uneventful after 18 mo. We believe that transvaginal drain of pelvic abscess could be a useful alternative, when percutaneous approach is not feasible.

Keywords: Vaginal; Drain; Diverticulitis; Pelvic abscess; Echography

Core tip: Large diverticular abscesses (> 3 cm) should be treated by antibiotics and percutaneous drain. Abscess deep in the pelvis pose a unique problem because numerous intervening structures create obstacles to safe percutaneous access. Transvaginal drain of pelvic abscess could be an useful alternative, when percutaneous approach is not feasible.