Fitz-Hugh–Curtis syndrome

The Fitz- Hugh - Curtis syndrome (also: Fitz- Hugh and Curtis syndrome, FHC syndrome) is a rather rare complication of inflammation in the pelvis (PID, pelvic inflammatory disease ).

Symptoms

The symptoms consist of pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, which may radiate to the right shoulder and increase with acceleration of Abdominaldrucks (presses, coughing, sneezing ). Sometimes nausea and vomiting joins added.

Cause

The Fitz- Hugh - Curtis syndrome occurs predominantly after salpingitis due to Chlamydia or gonorrhea, which is why almost exclusively affects women. Approximately 15 % to 30 % of women with PID develop a FHC syndrome. This is based mostly an inflammation of the surrounding liver tissue, a so-called perihepatitis.

Therapy

The treatment is done by appropriate treatment of the underlying disease. As a complication of FHC syndrome can cause adhesions between the liver and the abdominal wall or of the diaphragm by a local perihepatische purulent - fibrinous peritonitis ( perihepatitis ). These can be removed laparoscopically, should this be necessary due to complaints.

History

The disease was discovered in 1930 by the first American gynecologists Arthur Hale Curtis ( 1881-1955 ) described as such. The American internist Thomas Fitz- Hugh Jr. (1894-1963) confirmed the observations in 1934. As early as 1920 had reported on changes in the diaphragm in gynecology the surgeon Uruguayan Carlos Stajano ( 1891-1976 ).