Comparison of severe pelvic inflammatory disease, pyosalpinx and tubo-ovarian abscess

Abstract

AimInflammation of the upper genital tract causes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which may be complicated by pelvic abscesses, such as pyosalpinx and tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). This study aimed to determine the clinical differences between pyosalpinx and TOA in patients with PID.

Material and MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 458 female patients who were admitted to Hallym University Kang Dong Sacred Heart Hospital for a clinical diagnosis of PID from 1 January 2007 to 30 April 2012. Sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory data were compared among the non-abscess, pyosalpinx, and TOA groups.

ResultsWe identified 110 patients (24%) diagnosed with pelvic abscess associated with PID, including 34 with pyosalpinx and 76 with TOA. The pyosalpinx group had shorter hospital stays (P=0.007), lower C-reactive protein levels (P=0.015), smaller mass sizes (P<0.001), and fewer surgical interventions (P<0.001) than the TOA group.

ConclusionsPyosalpinx is a less severe form of PID that leads to shorter hospital stays and more favorable outcomes than TOA.