EndometritisEndometritis – General InformationEndometritis is actually an inflammation of the inner layer of the patient’s uterus, called endometrium. Specialists have classified the disease, dividing it in two stages, acute and chronic. The acute stage of the disease is in fact an infection. The most common agents that cause the disease are the staph aureus and Streptococcus. But there are also some other causes which can include compromised abortions, delivery, medical instrumentation, and retention of placental fragments. The usual symptoms for the acute form can include high fever and purulent vaginal discharge. The chronic form of the Endometritis disease is characterized by presence of plasma cells inside the stroma. There are some significant causes of the disease and can include chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, chlamydia or tuberculosis. Usually, the patients who suffer from the chronic form of the disease have a cancer in the cervix and endometrium areas. The main symptoms characteristic to this form of the disease are bloody discharge and abdominal pain. Generally, the signs and symptoms of Endometritis disease can include lower abdominal pain, fever and unusual vaginal bleeding. There are some important risk factors that can lead to the triggering of disease; they include caesarean section, prolonged rupture of membranes and long labor with multiple vaginal tests. The disease can also develop from childbirth, abortions, intrauterine device insertion or surgery or gynecological procedures that use the insertion of medical instruments. In most of the cases, the disease can be treated with antibiotics, administered intravenously and orally, as this type of therapy proves to be very effective.Endometritis – SymptomsThe most common causes of Endometritis can include infections that are transmitted sexually, like Chlamydia, abortion, the insertion of any medical or birth control devices or complication after cervix surgery. There are several signs and symptoms of Endometritis disease that are present in almost all the clinical cases. They can include increased amount of vaginal discharge, which can appear also as foul smelling vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, and high fever. The large amount of discharge, which can be, in some cases, foul smelling, can be caused by the infection that has affected the area. In most of the cases, the symptom of fever is caused by an infection that is present, because the fever symptom shows that the patient’s body resists by attacking and fighting the infection, which is experienced in all parts of the body. Usually, the abdominal pain is triggered by the increased inflammation and irritation of the endometrium, the uterus lining, leading to the appearance of soreness of the area. The abdominal pain can become worse if the patient is performing an act of intercourse, because there is some pressure that is applied on the infected tissues during penetration. In most of the cases the act of intercourse in no longer permitted until the exact treatment is ended. Dysmenorrhoea is also a symptom of Edometritis, which develops during the female patient’s period and it is characterized by lower back pain, vaginal and pelvic pain. It is very important to treat the disease in an early stage, because it is easier to treat, and the chances of curing are increased.Endometritis – TreatmentTo diagnose Endometritis the doctor usually applies a physical test. If the patient suffers from the disease, he will have signs such as abdominal tenderness, when the doctor performs a lower abdomen exam, bowel sounds increased, tender uterus and cervix, after a pelvic exam, and cervical discharge. There are also some tests that can also be applied to diagnose the disease and can include white blood count (WBC), sed rate (ESR), endometrial biopsy, endocervical cultures for chlamudia, gonorrhea and other bacteria, and laparoscopy. The main treatment for Endometritis is the intake of antibiotics that can be administrated intravenously, if the patient presents a high stage infection, or orally, if the patient has only the inflammation of the endometrium. Doctors can also prescribe hormonal therapy to reduce inflammation and improve symptoms. In most of the cases, doctors can recommend gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists and antagonists, danazol, aromatase inhibitors and medroxyprogesterone, as therapy for Endometritis. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists and antagonists are some types of medicines that act by blocking the production of ovarian hormones. By blocking the hormone production, they also prevent menstruation, which reduces the production of estrogen, the hormone that is considered to trigger the disease. This type of therapy also reduces the endometrial inflammation. If the medicine is administered for at least six to seven months, it can create an artificial menopause, putting Endometritis in remission. The bad part about these medicines is that they can cause several side effects and can include hot flashes and vaginal dryness. The intravenously medicines include medroxyprogesterone and danazol. Medroxyprogesterone is a medicine that is usually administered IV, and acts by preventing menstruation and inflammation of the endometrial tissues, relieving the pain and tenderness symptoms. Due to the fact that it is an injectable medicine, it can cause side effects which can include weight gain and depressed mood. danazol is also a medicine that is usually administered IV, and acts by blocking the production of ovarian hormones, reducing the inflammation and relieving the symptoms. Like the medroxyprogesterone medicine, it also causes side effects which can include acne and the appearance of facial hair. Aromatase inhibitors can also be used to treat the disease. The main effect of these inhibitors is to block the hormone conversion, such as androstenedione and testosterone into estrogen. By blocking the production of estrogen, the inflammation is also reduced. The good thing about aromatase inhibitors is that they do not cause many side effects. In combination with the antibiotics and hormonal therapies, the doctor can recommend chemotherapy, to relieve the symptoms. There are cases in which the patient suffers from a severe form of Endometritis. Such patients’ best option is the surgical approach. The main surgical operation is called hysterectomy. The operation consists in the removal of both ovaries, or, in some particular cases, the removal of the whole uterus. The operation is considered to be effective, but it can also cause other conditions which can include infections, bleeding, injury in the bladder, rectum and ureter area, and pulmonary embolism. |
|
|
|
|
|
|