Tubo-ovarian abscess: a review of 46 cases

Forty-six patients with tubo-ovarian ascess are analysed. The abscess developed mostly in young multiparous women soon after menstruation. Coliforms were the main causative organism. The abscess resolved with conservative management in 21 cases and surgical intervention was necessary in 25. The mortality (4.4%) due to conservative medical and surgical management was nearly half that of radical surgery.