Efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine in a case of geriatric urinary tract infections with pain of episiotomy scar inflammation

RATIONALE: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common infectious diseases in women. The management of patients with UTI after menopause is commonly combined with antibiotics and external application of estrogen, which could also cause drug resistance and result in poor curative effect. This study reports a case of UTI with pain of episiotomy scar inflammation for 10 years, which was successfully cured under traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and showed no recurrence for 5 years. PATIENT CONCERNS: A female patient, aged 71 years, experienced UTIs with pain of episiotomy scar inflammation for 10 years. Under antibiotics and external application of estrogen therapy, the patient still had no significant curative effect. Therefore, he was admitted to treatment with TCM for complementary therapy. DIAGNOSIS: UTIs with pain of episiotomy scar inflammation. INTERVENTIONS: : This patient was treated with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) treatment 2 times a day for 1 year. After 1 month of CHM treatment, the patient could tolerate pain of episiotomy scar inflammation. OUTCOMES: After 2 months of CHM treatment, the follow-up urinalysis leukocyte, red blood cell, and pH showed great improvements in examination. Late follow-up was continued to November 2017, and the patient recovered stable condition without recurrence. LESSONS: In this case, successful treatment by only applying the prescription of CHM is achieved in 1 elderly woman with UTI and pain of episiotomy scar inflammation in 1 year. It is suggested that the CHM formula has a potential effect on UTI and pain from episiotomy scar inflammation when usage of antibiotics and hormones meets with poor response.