Late manifestation of pelvic abscess following oocyte retrieval, for in vitro fertilization, in patients with severe endometriosis and ovarian endometriomata

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to study the unusual and rare late manifestation of severe pelvic abscess, following oocyte pickup (OPU), for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). PATIENTS: The patients were three infertile women with stage IV endometriosis and ovarian endometriomata, as the sole reason for their infertility. Medical and surgical modalities to treat endometriosis and infertility proved to be unsuccessful. INTERVENTIONS: All patients were prepared for IVF-ET employing a long GnRH-a and hMG protocol. Transvaginal OPU was performed under ultrasound guidance. Intravenous (i.v.) prophylactic antibiotic was routinely administered. RESULTS: All women underwent ET, and one conceived. Forty, 24, and 22 days after OPU, respectively, these patients presented with acute symptoms of severe pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and were found to have pelvic abscess. Broad-spectrum i.v. antibiotics were employed in all cases, however, two patients did not respond and bilateral adnexectomy was eventually performed. CONCLUSIONS: Severe endometriosis with ovarian endometriomata seems to be a significant risk factor for pelvic abscess development, following transvaginal OPU for IVF-ET. Prophylactic IV cefazolin does not seem to prevent this complication. Late manifestation of pelvic abscess supports the notion that the presence of old blood in an endometrioma provides a culture medium for bacteria to grow slowly after transvaginal inoculation.