Successful treatment of pelvic actinomycosis using transgluteal drainage: A case report

Abstract

Actinomycosis is a rare chronic suppurative granulomatous infection, associated with long-term IUD placement. Standard treatment is long-term antibiotic administration. Here, we report a more radical pelvic abscess drainage treatment, because conservative therapy failed to provide relief. A 52-year-old woman (gravida 4 para 3) with an 18-year IUD history was referred to our hospital with a pelvic abscess, indicated clinically to be pelvic actinomycosis. Standard conservative penicillin therapy provided no relief. We performed transgluteal drainage, confirmed actinomycosis pathologically, administered clindamycin, and observed no relapse. Transgluteal percutaneous drainage combined with antibiotics may be useful for refractory deep pelvic abscess caused by actinomycosis and may even curtail the antibiotic administration period.

Keywords: Abscess; Actinomycosis; Drainage; Intrauterine device.