Open AccessAbdominal wall actinomycosis simulating a malignant neoplasm: Case report and review of the literature
Author(s) -
Paola Acquaro,
Fulvio Tagliabue,
Gianmaria Confalonieri,
Paolo Faccioli,
Melchiorre Costa
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
world journal of gastrointestinal surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1948-9366
DOI - 10.4240/wjgs.v2.i7.247
Subject(s) - actinomyces israelii , medicine , actinomycosis , surgery , malignancy , abscess , actinomyces , abdominal wall , histopathological examination , radiology , pathology , genetics , bacteria , biology
Abdominal wall actinomycosis is a rare disease frequently associated with the presence of an intra uterine device. We report on a case of a 47-year-old woman who had used an intrauterine device for many years and had removed it about a month prior to the identification of an abdominal wall abscess caused by Actinomyces israelii. The abscess mimicked a malignancy and the patient underwent a demolitive surgical treatment. The diagnosis was obtained only after histopathological examination. Postoperatively, the patient developed an infection of the wound which was treated with daily medication. The combination of long-term high dose antibiotic therapy with surgery led to successful treatment.