Diagnosis of post-partum ovarian vein thrombophlebitis by color Doppler ultrasonography: about 10 cases.

BACKGROUND: Post-partum ovarian vein thrombosis is often overlooked or mistaken for other complications such as endometritis. Color Doppler ultrasonography is a very good diagnostic method when properly indicated and correctly interpreted according to clinical data. METHODS: This study reports ten cases that were retrospectively studied, during which color Doppler ultrasonography was used. The clinical signs and the results are reviewed. RESULTS: The lesions were clearly visualized in eight of the ten cases; one of the two failures resulted from a methodological fault (uninterpretable result); the other one was due to the lack of experience of the operator and nonrecognition of the clinical signs. Thrombosis appears as a hypoechogenic and tubular image. This type of examination is particularly indicated in the presence of certain clinical signs that were observed in our cases: fever and iliac pain are the main precursor signs, often associated with abdominal meteorism and slow digestive transit; provoked cul-de-sac pain during vaginal probing was the only constant sign, sometimes associated with painful swelling.

[Postpartal ovarian thrombophlebitis. Value of Doppler ultrasonograph y]. / Thrombophlébites ovariennes dans le post-partum. Intérèt de l'échographie Doppler.

Thrombophlebitis of the ovarian vein is a well recognized but uncommon complication during the postpartum period. We report a small series and emphasize the contribution of color Doppler and the basic therapeutic measures.