Sterile Abscess Following Intramuscular Leuprolide Acetate Injection for Endometriosis: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Sterile abscess formation after leuprolide acetate (LA) injection is rare and can lead to discomfort, scarring, and decreased treatment efficacy. Our objective is to highlight this rare side effect to aid in more thorough patient administration counseling. CLINICAL CASE: A 19 year-old female with history of LA treatment for precocious puberty and new diagnosis of endometriosis developed a severe injection site sterile abscess requiring surgical incision and drain placement, and hospitalization after first LA injection for endometriosis treatment. CONCLUSION: LA is a common treatment for refractory endometriosis in pediatric patients, but providers may be unaware of the risk of sterile abscess. We did not identify any predictive or preventative factors but propose that prior treatment may have increased risk in this case.