Caecal carcinoma masquerading as acute pelvic inflammatory disease

SummaryA woman with a previous history of ectopic pregnancy, tubal surgery and hydrosalpinx who presents with low abdominal pain, pyrexia and a negative pregnancy test will usually be presumed to have acute pelvic inflammatory disease. A 24 hour course of antibiotics generally results in marked improvement, and when this does not occur tubo-ovarian abscess or other diagnosis should be established by diagnostic laparoscopy.