LAPAROSCOPY IN WOMEN WITH CHLAMYDIAL INFECTION AND PELVIC PAIN - A COMPARISON OF PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT SALPINGITIS

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (3) , 299-303
Abstract
Clinical and laboratory findings in 104 women who, during 1978-1981, were subjected to laparoscopy because of symptoms suggestive of acute salpingitis and who harbored Chlamydia trachomatis but not Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the genital tract were reviewed. Patients with acute salpingitis (76) did not differ significantly from those with visually normal fallopian tubes (28) in regard to age distribution, parity, contraceptive method used, proportion of women with urethritis symptoms, increased vaginal discharge, vomiting, diarrhea, elevated rectal temperature, elevated white blood cell count and palpable pelvic masses. The acute salpingitis patients more often had irregular bleeding and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate; the patients without acute salpingitis more often had a short history of pelvic pain. The 2 groups were not distinct with respect to the number of symptoms and clinical signs of pelvic infection. Thus, the value of laparoscopy in the diagnosis or exclusion of a tubal infection in association with a chlamydial genital infection and pelvic pain is supported, even if there are comparatively few additional symptoms of ascending infection.