[Treatment of Bartholin's gland abscesses with the use of contraceptive loops (IUD)].

Over a 2 year periiod, 46 patients were treated in the Gynecology and Obstetrics hospital in Opole for Bartholin bland abcesses. Their ages ranged from 16 to 63 years with most of them being in the 20 to 40 years bracket. 3 were pregnant and 2 had abcesses on both sides. After incision and drainage of the abcess, on the 4th day after surgery the Lippes loop was introduced into the cavity. Before insertion, one or two branches of thge loop were removed, and in a few cases, even 3 branches, as determieed by the size of the cavity. 1 branch was usually left protruding outside. The IUD was removed after a 4 to 5 week period. Since not all of the women came for follow ups, the results analyzed covered 36 patients. Full recovery was noted in 17, partial, i.e. obturation of the excretory duct without pathological changes in the gland in 14 women, and obturation of the excretory duct with the formation of a small cyst on the gland in 7 patients. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 27 months. The author feels that full recovery cannot be diagnosed sooner than in 6 months. It was his experience that 6 months after an apparent recovery, obturation of the excfetory duct reoccurred in some cases. The criteria for full reco very was patency of the duct and the presence of a mucous secretion. The author concludes that treatment of Bartholon gland abcesses with diminished contreaceptive loops is an effective technique for restoring the function of the diseased gland. (Summaries in RUS, ENG).