Vaginal and vulvar disorders: Pathology review
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Vaginal and vulvar disorders: Pathology review
Pathology
Male and female reproductive system disorders
Precocious puberty
Delayed puberty
Klinefelter syndrome
Turner syndrome
Androgen insensitivity syndrome
5-alpha-reductase deficiency
Kallmann syndrome
Male reproductive system disorders
Hypospadias and epispadias
Bladder exstrophy
Priapism
Penile cancer
Prostatitis
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Prostate cancer
Cryptorchidism
Inguinal hernia
Varicocele
Epididymitis
Orchitis
Testicular torsion
Testicular cancer
Erectile dysfunction
Male hypoactive sexual desire disorder
Female reproductive system disorders
Amenorrhea
Ovarian cyst
Premature ovarian failure
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Ovarian torsion
Krukenberg tumor
Sex cord-gonadal stromal tumor
Surface epithelial-stromal tumor
Germ cell ovarian tumor
Uterine fibroid
Endometriosis
Endometritis
Endometrial hyperplasia
Endometrial cancer
Choriocarcinoma
Cervical cancer
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Urethritis
Female sexual interest and arousal disorder
Orgasmic dysfunction
Genito-pelvic pain and penetration disorder
Mastitis
Fibrocystic breast changes
Intraductal papilloma
Phyllodes tumor
Paget disease of the breast
Breast cancer
Hyperemesis gravidarum
Gestational hypertension
Preeclampsia & eclampsia
Gestational diabetes
Cervical incompetence
Placenta previa
Placenta accreta
Placental abruption
Oligohydramnios
Polyhydramnios
Potter sequence
Intrauterine growth restriction
Preterm labor
Postpartum hemorrhage
Chorioamnionitis
Congenital toxoplasmosis
Congenital cytomegalovirus (NORD)
Congenital syphilis
Neonatal conjunctivitis
Neonatal herpes simplex
Congenital rubella syndrome
Neonatal sepsis
Neonatal meningitis
Miscarriage
Gestational trophoblastic disease
Ectopic pregnancy
Fetal hydantoin syndrome
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Reproductive system pathology review
Disorders of sex chromosomes: Pathology review
Prostate disorders and cancer: Pathology review
Testicular tumors: Pathology review
Uterine disorders: Pathology review
Ovarian cysts and tumors: Pathology review
Cervical cancer: Pathology review
Vaginal and vulvar disorders: Pathology review
Benign breast conditions: Pathology review
Breast cancer: Pathology review
Complications during pregnancy: Pathology review
Congenital TORCH infections: Pathology review
Disorders of sexual development and sex hormones: Pathology review
Amenorrhea: Pathology Review
Testicular and scrotal conditions: Pathology review
Sexually transmitted infections: Warts and ulcers: Pathology review
Sexually transmitted infections: Vaginitis and cervicitis: Pathology review
HIV and AIDS: Pathology review
Penile conditions: Pathology review
Assessments
Vaginal and vulvar disorders: Pathology review
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Transcript
Content Reviewers
Yifan Xiao, MDContributors
Antonia Syrnioti, MD
David G. Walker
Sam Gillespie, BSc
Zachary Kevorkian, MSMI
62-year-old Tess comes to the emergency department with vaginal bleeding for the past couple of hours. She also mentions that she has occasionally noticed some watery, foul-smelling vaginal discharge. After ensuring that she is hemodynamically stable, history reveals that her last menstrual period was about 10 years ago and she has had multiple sexual partners. On speculum examination, a suspicious-looking mass is identified in the upper third of the posterior vaginal wall.
Later that day, 69-year-old Oshun comes to the physician's office complaining of an intense burning sensation, itching and pain in her genital region. Her last menstrual period was at the age of 48. On further history, she has been smoking 1.5 packs daily for 40 years. On examination, a white, asymmetrical lump with irregular borders and 1.2 cm in size is seen in the right labia majora.
All right, both Tess and Oshun have some type of vaginal or vulvar condition. Let’s take a look at the Anatomy real quick. The external sex organs, together referred to as the vulva, contain the labia majora, which cover the labia minora, and between the two labia minora there is a space called the vulvar vestibule that includes the opening of the vagina and the the urethral opening. Now, vaginal and vulvar conditions are classified into non- neoplastic ones including bartholin cyst, lichen sclerosus, lichen simplex chronicus, and imperforate hymen and neoplastic ones, which are relatively rare cancers of the female genital tract.
Okay, let’s start with the first non-neoplastic condition, which is the Bartholin cyst. The Bartholin glands are two small glands that lie underneath the vestibule and on each side of the vaginal opening. Normally, they secrete a mucus- like fluid that drains through ducts into the vestibule in order to lubricate the vagina. But when their ducts get blocked, the fluid builds up, causing cystic dilation of the gland. For your exams, remember that blockage typically occurs in females of reproductive age as a result of a mucus plug or a sexually-transmitted infection, and especially, Neisseria gonorrhoea. If the cyst itself gets infected, an abscess occurs.
Summary
Vaginal and vulvar disorders refer to a wide range of conditions affecting the female reproductive system. Common vaginal and vulvar disorders include bartholin's cysts, where a blockage of the bartholin's gland duct results in cystic dilation and may lead to an abscess; lichen sclerosus which is a benign condition characterized by thinning of the epidermis and sclerosis of the dermis. There's also imperforate hymen which classically presents as primary amenorrhea with hematocolpos.
Other conditions include vaginal cancers, like squamous cell carcinoma, and clear cell adenocarcinoma, and vulvar cancers like melanomas and adenocarcinomas. There may also be infections like vaginal yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and genital warts. Diagnosis of these disorders involves a physical examination, medical history review, and potentially laboratory tests or biopsies. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and can range from topical creams and medications to surgery. Regular gynecological exams and good hygiene practices can help prevent and detect these conditions early.
Sources
- "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Twentieth Edition (Vol.1 & Vol.2)" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "Pathology of the Vulva and Vagina" Springer Science & Business Media (2012)
- "DC Dutta's Textbook of Gynecology" JP Medical Ltd (2014)
- "Bartholin Duct Cyst and Gland Abscess: Office Management" Am Fam Physician (2019)
- "Lichen sclerosus" International Journal of STD & AIDS (2005)
- "Imperforate Hymen: A Comprehensive Systematic Review" Journal of Clinical Medicine (2019)
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