[Girls' abdominal pains and gynaecological emergencies]
Hélène Le Hors-Albouze1, Aurélie Boutin, Claude Louis-Borrione
1Urgences pédiatriques, Département de chirurgie pédiatrique, hôpital de La Timone Enfants, AP-HM, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5. hlehors@ap-hm.fr
Abstract:
Among many causes of abdominal pain in children, gynaecological ones have to be systematically considered in even no pubescent girls. Diagnosis leans on physical and US examinations and has to screen first urgent causes before frequent ones. Rare but urgent are ovarian torsions either on a normal ovary or an underlying ovarian tumor, an earlier surgery may avoid oophorectomy. Hematocolpos linked to imperforate hymen is the most common obstructive congenital abnormality of the female genital tract and the diagnosis is easy with inspection of external genitalia. Ovarian tumors are infrequent and most often begnin but torsion, rupture or bleeding complications causes acute abdominal pains. Dysmenorrhea is the most common cause of abdominal pain in pubescent girls. In adolescents, genital tract infections and rare ectopic pregnancy have also to be mentioned.
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