salpingitis

Inflammation of the uterine or the eustachian tube. [salping- + G. -itis, inflammation]

- chronic interstitial s. s. in which fibrosis or mononuclear cell infiltration involves all layers of the uterine or eustachian tube.

- foreign body s. s. in which giant cells form in the tissue, as a result of introduction of foreign material into the uterine tube.

- gonorrheal s. inflammation of the uterine tube following acute gonorrheal infection.

- s. isthmica nodosa a condition of the fallopian tube characterized by nodular thickening of the tunica muscularis of the isthmic portion of the tube enclosing glandlike or cystic duplications of the lumen. SYN: adenosalpingitis.

- pyogenic s. a form of acute s. usually occurring with puerperal infection.

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sal·pin·gi·tis .sal-pən-'jīt-əs n, pl -git·i·des -'jit-ə-.dēz inflammation of a fallopian or eustachian tube

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n.

inflammation of a tube, most commonly applied to inflammation of one or both of the Fallopian tubes caused by bacterial infection spreading from the vagina or uterus or carried in the blood. In acute salpingitis there is a sharp pain in the lower abdomen, which may be mistaken for appendicitis, and the infection may spread to the membrane lining the abdominal cavity (see peritonitis). In severe cases the tubes may become blocked with scar tissue and the patient will be unable to conceive. The condition is treated with antibiotics and later, if necessary, by the surgical removal of the diseased tube(s).

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sal·pin·gi·tis (sal″pin-jiґtis) [salping- + -itis] 1. inflammation of the uterine tube. 2. inflammation of the auditory tube.

Acute salpingitis with dense adhesions that obscure the ovary. Dye has been instilled into the swollen uterine tube on the right (blue).