Post partum ovarian vein thrombophlebitis presenting with pleuropulmonary symptoms

Following a normal delivery, a 22-year-old primigravida experienced fever r esistant to antibiotic therapy. On the tenth post partum day, thoracic pain and chest X-ray were in favour of acute pneumonitis of left inferior lobe. Considering the extension to the right lung and a normal bronchic fibresco py, a computed tomography (CT) was performed which showed a right ovarian v ein thrombophlebitis, right minor subpleural opacities and left pneumopathy . The final diagnosis was post partum ovarian vein suppurated thrombophlebi tis with pulmonary septic metastases from haematogenic diffusion. Post part um thrombophlebitis is a rare event with an incidence of 1 per 2,000 delive ries. Pulmonary inaugurating symptoms result rather from pulmonary embolism than from septic metastases. Post partum persisting and unexplained fever should be explored with abdominal CT-scan. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.