Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Excerpt

Pelvic inflammatory disease is defined as an infectious inflammation of the upper genital tract in females. The disease can affect the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Pelvic inflammatory disease is typically an ascending infection, spreading from the lower genital tract, with the majority of pelvic inflammatory disease cases linked to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease is primarily clinical and should be suspected in female patients with lower abdominal or pelvic pain and significant tenderness to palpation of the internal genitalia. During evaluation, other etiologies of pain, including ectopic pregnancy, should be considered and ruled out. Pelvic inflammatory disease is treated with antibiotics that cover its primary pathogens, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. Short-term complications include tubo-ovarian or pelvic abscess, whereas long-term complications include ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain. Early diagnosis and treatment can potentially prevent the tubal damage that leads to these complications.