Salpingitis is the infection of the fallopian tubes. It is a type of infection included in what we commonly call pelvic inflammatory disease. It may be accompanied by infection of the ovary, the endometrium, or even the abdominal cavity.
This pathology is caused, in 85% of the cases, by microorganisms acquired by sexual transmission. However, there is a small percentage associated with pathogens from the intestine or respiratory tract.
The clinical presentation is very variable. In milder cases, the acute infection may go unnoticed and be suspected some time later when tubal obstruction is diagnosed.
In most women, PID occurs in a mild to moderate form, with abdominal pain being the most common symptom. In these cases, treatment with antibiotics is usually sufficient, although sometimes it is necessary to administer them intravenously, requiring admission to a hospital.
Only in a minority of cases does peritonitis or pelvic abscess develop, manifesting itself with more intense pain and general symptoms such as fever. If this degree is reached, surgery is sometimes necessary to cure the disease, and the tubes and even the ovaries have to be removed.
In the most severe cases, the process can extend to other abdominal organs such as the liver or even pass into the blood (sepsis), posing a risk to the woman's life.