[Fever and renal failure in a 38-year-old woman]

Persistent fever and sepsis require a thorough anamnesis and examination especially in women of childbearing age to determine the presence of implanted devices. We report on a case of a severe septic shock with renal failure in a 38-year-old woman triggered by an infected intrauterine device (IUD). After a symptom-free period of 4 weeks after implantation of the pessary, acute and rapidly progressive nonspecific general symptoms and fever occurred. Vaginal smears detect Staphylococcus (S.) aureus. After removal of the pessary under broad antibiotic therapy and short-term continuous veno-venous hemofiltration in combination with CytoSorb®, the patient was quickly stabilized. Within 8 days she was free of symptoms and could be transferred to a normal ward. It should be specifically noted that after receipt of the antibiogram, there was no change of treatment to flucloxacillin, which would have been more sensitive for S. Aureus.