Unilateral chronic tuboovarian abscess secondary to ruptured colonic diverticulum presenting as a brain abscess. A case report. uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: Tuboovarian abscesses (TOAs) are a somewhat unusual finding in postmenopausal patients without risk factors. We present a rare case of unilateral TOA initially presenting as a brain abscess in a postmenopausal woman. CASE: A 61-year-old woman presented with a complaint of forgetfulness, nausea and vomiting, with lower abdominal pain and diarrhea. She was found to have a brain abscess, which was treated by craniotomy, with drainage of the abscess, and intravenous antibiotics. The patient was subsequently found to have a pelvic mass, which, on laparotomy, was a unilateral TOA. Pathology demonstrated that the abscess contained vegetable matter consistent with origin in a ruptured diverticulum. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of a brain abscess should prompt a thorough investigation for a primary infectious source, including the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts.

publication date

  • February 1, 2000

Research

keywords

  • Abdominal Abscess
  • Brain Abscess
  • Diverticulum, Colon
  • Fallopian Tube Diseases
  • Ovarian Diseases

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0033996739

PubMed ID

  • 10710748

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 45

issue

  • 2