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Rare presentation of actinomycosis as an abdominal mass: report of a case
P Meyer1, O Nwariaku, R N McClelland
1Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, USA.
Purpose:
The purpose of this article was to report an unusual presentation of abdominal actinomycosis masquerading as a tumor.
Methods:
The patient was a 54-year-old male who presented with vague abdominal discomfort and a palpable left lower quadrant mass defined on CT scan. Multiple intraoperative core biopsies were nondiagnostic, and he underwent en bloc resection of the mass and adjacent organs for a presumed tumor.
Results:
Examination of tissue from deep within the excised specimen revealed sulfur granules diagnostic for actinomycosis.
Conclusion:
Abdominal actinomycosis is an extremely rare infection that can mimic multiple disease processes and requires accurate diagnosis for successful therapy. This novel presentation and a review of the literature are reported.