Pelvic inflammatory disease in the postmenopausal woman.

OBJECTIVE

Review available literature on pelvic inflammatory disease in postmenopausal women.

DESIGN

MEDLINE literature review from 1966 to 1999.

RESULTS

Pelvic inflammatory disease is uncommon in postmenopausal women. It is polymicrobial, often is concurrent with tuboovarian abscess formation, and is often associated with other diagnoses.

CONCLUSION

Postmenopausal women with pelvic inflammatory disease are best treated with inpatient parenteral antimicrobials and appropriate imaging studies. Failure to respond to antibiotics should yield a low threshold for surgery, and consideration of alternative diagnoses should be entertained.