'Forgotten' intrauterine device leading to actinomycotic pyometra--13 years after menopause.

A case of a 'forgotten' intrauterine device (IUD) in a postmenopausal woman leading to Actinomyces israelii infection and pyometra is described. The patient was asymptomatic for 22 years after IUD insertion and developed the complications 13 years after menopause. To prevent such serious complications, it is important to ensure that intrauterine devices, once they have served the purpose and even if they are asymptomatic, are removed.