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Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Research Paper

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Pelvic Inflammatory Disease:
Causes, Complications, Treatment, and Radiographic Appearance Pelvic inflammatory disease, commonly known as PID, is an infection of the female reproductive organs. Causes for PID include a number of bacteria; most of the time PID is caused by bacteria from gonorrhea and chlamydia (nlm). Gonorrhea and chlamydia are two bacteria that are among the most common sexually transmitted infections. Sexually transmitted infections are commonly transferred from one person to another through unprotected sexual intercourse. With PID, the bacteria will travel through the woman’s reproductive tract and infect her pelvic organs, though it will take a few days to months for an infection to occur. Though contraceptives can …show more content…

Ectopic pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized and becomes attached somewhere else besides the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. One of the main reasons why the egg can’t pass through the fallopian tube is because PID usually develops in the woman’s fallopian tube. This causes scarring of the tube lining which makes it difficult for the egg to pass through the fallopian tubes and into the uterus. The fertilized egg will start growing on the lining of the tube, which is a very life-threatening situation; a serious bleeding might occur which will require immediate surgery. Another complication of PID is infertility. Infertility is when a female cannot become pregnant. A possible cause of infertility is PID. PID damages the reproductive organs which causes scarring on the tissues. The damage to the fallopian tube must be severe enough that it’s impossible for the egg to pass through at all. If the occurrence of PID happens enough times that it delays treatment, the chances of infertility are much higher. Chronic pelvic pain will also occur to those patients who suffer PID. The pelvic pain will last for months or even years. The damage that happens to the pelvic organs can cause severe pain during intercourse and ovulation. The scarring on the pelvic tissues is very serious; straining them will be very painful for the …show more content…

As the disease advances, Ultrasound can demonstrate uterine enlargement along with thickening of the endometrium (nlm 2 janet). According to (book p426), Ultrasound is the imaging modality of choice for detecting PID. Ultrasound can detect fluid and debris within the fallopian tubes; features typical of Pyosalpinx, a common pathology that accompanies PID. CT scans are not usually used as a first-line imaging modality in cases of suspected PID because of the exposure to radiation. The CT appearances of PID are often non-specific with a small volume of free fluid and thickened uterosacral ligaments (nlm 2 janet). In the detection of PID through imaging modalities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiography are of little use. With an MRI scan, inflammation may be seen. Also, a Pyosalpinx can be visualized as a dilated ‘C’ or ‘S’ shaped structure. Radiographs of the abdominal or pelvic region, where will PID will be located, have little to no value in diagnosing PID. Abnormal gas collections can be masked by fecal matter in the rectum and the loops of the small bowel (book p

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