A life threatening complication of an imperforate hymen : a case report

ABSTRACT

A not so benign disease of imperforate hymen in a 20 year old who presented with acute hypogastric pain will be discussed. The diagnosis of an imperforate hymen should be made during routine neonatal pediatric examination. However, it is not unusual to see a teenage girl present with typical findings of cyclic adominal pain, urinary retention, constipation and a bulging introital mass with hematocolpos and hematometra on ultrasounds examination. Additional findings may include hematosalpinges and formation of endometrial cysts with severe pelvic adgesions. Conservative management generally includes hymenectomy with drainage of the blood and antibiotic therapy. Patients are generally discharged after 24 hours or the procedure is done as an outpatient basis with oral pain medications given. However in our case, the dilemma in terms of management of conservative versus aggressive surgery was encountered. Our patient was only 20 years old presenting with primary amenorrhea and cyclic dysmenorrhea for 7 years with the possibility of a pelvic "clean up" and the problems of premature menopause and infertility were at the back of our minds. A greater awareness of this complication should prompt clinicians to consider this entity when dealing with cases such as this one.