[Gonococcal perihepatitis (Fitz-Hugh--Curtis syndrome)]

The author reviews the literature data concerning etiology pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment of gonococcal perihepatitis or the so called syndrome of Fitz-Hugh--Curtis. A female patient is described with gonococcal perihepatitis, the diagnosis being retrospectively made by the author on the base of laparoscopy findings and clinical data. Perihepatal adhesions reminding "violin strings" as well as chronic salpingitis were established at laparoscopy 3 years after the acute gonoccal perihepatitis. At the second laparoscopy, 8 years later, the findings were the same. In that case -- two characteristics are present, not described in literature so far: 1. Periodic pain under the right hypochondriac region for 11 years, manifested immediately prior to or during the menstrual cycle. 2. The presence of chronic circumscribed peritonitis on the abdominal wall, proceeding from the right half of the true pelvis, irradiating upwards to the right liver lobe. The author thinks that those two characteristics are not isolated but on the contrary--they are mutually conditioned.