[Vaginal ulceration induced by abuse of tampons]

A large vaginal ulcerated area which came about because super-absorbant tampons had been worn for three years is reported. Cure was obtained when the area was excised and sutured. There was no recurrence after the patient stopped using the tampons. There are 36 cases reported in the literature. Ulceration occurs in young women (25 years), nulliparous or primiparous (79%), who use tampons abnormally during the periods and between the periods (75%). The ulceration is always characteristic in appearance: it is a punched-out area, round or oval in shape, and is situated in the upper third of the vaginal barrel near where the tampon presses on to the vagina. Spontaneous cure occurs in 75% of cases when the tampon is no longer used. Physio-pathological hypotheses as to the causation are given. A suggestion is made as to the relationship between this syndrome and the staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome. The discovery of vaginal ulceration is not usually due to use of menstrual tampons. One has to think of adenosis of the vagina, herpetic ulceration, a syphilitic chancre or cancer, the diagnosis depending a little on the age of the patient. In our case that we report, continuous usage of super-absorbant tampons was accompanied by a large vaginal ulcer. Because of this case we have reviewed the literature about the cases that have been reported and have collected 36 cases.