Reactive sacroiliitis as late sequela after severe pelvic inflammatory disease verified by laparoscopy or laparotomy

To investigate the frequency of lumbosacral pains and sacroiliitis as late sequela of severe pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) confirmed by laparoscopy or laparotomy.

The sacroiliac joints were examined radiographically and scintigraphically to search for signs of reactive sacroiliitis.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital General Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.

Thirty-five out of 70 women admitted with severe clinical symptoms of PID during a five-year period. PID was confirmed by laparoscopy or laparotomy.

The sacroiliac joints were examined radiographically, and bone scintigraphic studies of the pelvic girdle were performed with 99technetium labelled pyrophosphate.

Twenty out of 35 patients reported lumbosacral pain. The bone scintigraphic findings were positive for sacroiliitis in 18 out of 33 patients (54.6%), and the radiographic findings were positive in 11 women (33.3%).

Patients with previous severe clinical PID complaining of lumbosacral pains may be offered a bone scintigraphy, a sensitive procedure using low-dose radiation, to search for early signs of reactive sacroiliitis.