Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 1 , Pages 35-40, January 2008

Intra- and Extra-abdominal Actinomycosis Mimicking Urachal Tumor in an Intrauterine Device Carrier: A Case Report

  • Hsi-Lin Hsiao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Jung-Tsung Shen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr Jung-Tsung Shen, Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 100 Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hsin-Chih Yeh

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Wen-Jeng Wu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chii-Jye Wang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chun-Hsiung Huang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Received 23 January 2007; accepted 18 April 2008.

Article Outline

Actinomycosis is a rare, chronic suppurative infection caused by the Gram-positive anaerobic filamentous bacterium, Actinomyces Israeli. In most cases, the diagnosis is made postoperatively because of its unusual clinical presentation. Abdominal actinomycosis is the second most common site of the disease and may mimic abdominal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or diverticulitis. The abdominal-pelvic form of this disease mostly results from the prolonged use of an intrauterine device. We report a rare case of combined intra- and extra-abdominal actinomycosis mimicking urachal tumor that was diagnosed by computed tomography, which presented as two tender abdominal palpable masses following long-term intrauterine device use. The disease was confirmed by postoperative histopathologic examination, which revealed sulfur granules microscopically, and was successfully treated by complete surgical resection following a period of appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Key Words:  actinomycosis , intrauterine device , urachal tumor

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PII: S1607-551X(08)70071-8

doi:10.1016/S1607-551X(08)70071-8

Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 1 , Pages 35-40, January 2008

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