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Published on: September 12, 2025

Postmenopausal bleeding due to a Cu-7 intrauterine device retained for thirty years

Corey A Wagner1, Richard J Gimpelson

  • 1St John's Mercy Medical Center, St Louis, Missouri, USA. coreywag@yahoo.com

JSLS : Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons
|March 13, 2013
PubMed

Insights

A retained intrauterine device (IUD) can cause postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) and is easily correctable. Pelvic sonography is recommended for diagnosing retained IUDs presenting as PMB.

Area of Science:

  • Gynecology
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) can have various causes, including rare but correctable ones like retained intrauterine devices (IUDs).
  • Early diagnosis and management of retained IUDs are crucial for patient well-being.

Observation:

  • A 64-year-old woman presented with PMB, and sonographic evaluation revealed a Cu-7 IUD retained for over 30 years.
  • The retained IUD was successfully retrieved hysteroscopically.

Findings:

  • Retained intrauterine devices are an important consideration in the differential diagnosis of postmenopausal bleeding.
  • Hysteroscopically assisted retrieval of a long-term retained IUD led to complete symptom resolution.

Implications:

  • Pelvic sonography should be considered the first-line diagnostic tool for evaluating postmenopausal bleeding.
  • This case highlights the importance of considering retained IUDs in patients with PMB, even after decades.
Abstract

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