[Diagnostic approach to Allen-Masters syndrome]

In the basic appearance of chronic pelvic pain /CPP/, it is often found the symptomatology of Allen-Masters syndrome /AMS/, especially having in mind pelvic congestion syndrome /PCS/.

To determine the diagnostic approach to AMS on the basis of CPP and factors conducive to development of AMS.

A nine-year retro- and prospective study (in the period 1996-2004) was conducted in Gynaecological Clinic at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University - Pleven. Forty patients with verified AMS were included in it. A documentary and inquiry methods were used for the investigation purposes. The following conducive factors were studied: age, body mass index /BMI/, blood group belonging, deliveries, including that of macrosomic foetuses, abortions and other gynaecologic interventions. It was rendered an account of the beginning of CPP, its qualitative and quantitative characteristics, localization and irradiation, its dynamics according to menstrual cycle and day. Excel and Statgraphics plus for Windows were used for the statistical processing of the data obtained from the investigation.

Major conducive factors to AMS are BMI, number of pregnancies (deliveries and abortions), weight/ body mass of baby born. CPP is clinically manifested with dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia and postcoital ache.

The determined specific pain profile and the presence of proved etiological factors, parallel with laparoscopic method, are auspicious means for diagnosing AMS.