CASE-REPORT - PELVIC PAIN SYNDROME - SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF A CASE BY OVARIAN VEIN EMBOLIZATION

Pelvic pain syndrome, without an apparent organic cause, is a common g ynaecological complaint. Investigations, including laparoscopy are fre quently negative but ovarian venography has demonstrated that pelvic v arices are a consistent finding in these patients. The aetiology of pe lvic varices has been the subject of debate, but it has recently been suggested that the primary problem is venous reflux in dilated, incomp etent ovarian veins. Surgical ligation of the ovarian veins has been u sed effectively in small series of patients with this condition. We re port a patient with the clinical and radiological features of this syn drome in which treatment by bilateral ovarian venous embolization prod uced prolonged symptomatic relief.