[Thrombophlebitis of the ovarian vein. New therapeutic approach]

The authors report two cases of puerperal right ovarian vein thrombophlebitis (POVT) with floating thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC). The originality of this report lies in the first line surgical treatment approach. POVT is recognized as presenting usually within the first week post-partum after about 0.05% of deliveries. The syndrome consists of lower abdominal or flank pain, unexplained fever and a tender abdominal mass. Abdominal or pelvic findings are often scanty. In some cases, the thrombus may extend to the inferior vena cava, leading to the risk of pulmonary embolism or low grade renal insufficiency. Diagnosis has been difficult in the past. Since acute appendicitis is the commonest differential diagnosis, laparotomy is frequent. CT scan provides a readily available, accurate, non invasive technique for the diagnosis of POVT. Criteria are: enlargement of the vein, a low density lumen within the vessel wall and a sharply defined vessel wall enhanced by contrast media. The treatment of POVT is initially medical. Antibiotics should be given to cover the commonest infecting organisms. Heparin should also be prescribed at therapeutic IV doses to be followed by oral anticoagulants for at least six weeks. Surgery is usually only recommended when the patient remains symptomatic despite proper medical management, develops clinical, scan or arteriographic evidence of pulmonary embolism, or cannot be anticoagulated. The recommended surgical technique is to clamp the anastomosis of the ovarian vein with the vena cava.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)