Unusual Case of a Parasitic Extra-Uterine Leiomyoma Presenting With Lower Abdominal Pain

Abstract

Parasitic fibroids are a rare type of extrauterine benign tumors that may be spontaneous or iatrogenic in origin and often difficult to diagnose due to their various presentations. We report an unusual case of a parasitic leiomyoma in a 33-year-old nulliparous woman with remote pelvic history who presented to our institution with sudden-onset lower abdominal pain. We performed an exploratory laparotomy, which revealed a 6.3x4.6 cm mass in the space of the adnexa of the right parametrium. Histopathological examination revealed features compatible with a leiomyoma. It is clear that physicians need to assess clinical findings and imaging techniques in order to establish a correct diagnosis of parasitic myomas, even when a history of myomectomy or a laparoscopic morcellation is absent.

Keywords: acute pelvic pain; exploratory laparotomy; leiomyoma; parasitic leiomyoma; uterine fibroid.

Figure 1. Parasitic fibroid removed from the patient