RESUMO
PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and histopathological characteristics of 12 patients with pyometra and highlight the increased incidence of gynecological malignancy in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors examined the medical records of 12 patients with pyometra, who were treated between 2009 and 2013. RESULTS: All patients were post-menopausal, and their mean age was 70.83 ± 6.978 years (min = 61, max = 82). To remove purulent fluid via dilation and because of the probability of malignancy, three patients (25%) underwent cervical biopsy and endometrial curettage; the other nine patients (75%) underwent curettage alone, with suitable antibiotic therapy. Of the 12 patients, nine (75%) had gynecologic malignancy [(endometrial cancer, n = 5, 41.6%), (cervical cancer, n = 3, 25%), (uterine leiomyosarcoma, n = 1, 8.3%)]. In three (25%) patients, the cause of pyometra was benign pathologies, among which the most common were leiomyomas (n = 2, 66.6%). CONCLUSION: Pyometra diagnosed during the post-menopausal period should be considered a complication caused by gynecological malignancy until proven otherwise.