Ano‐genital granulomatosis: the counterpart of oro‐facial granulomatosis1

MR Van de Scheur, RIF Van der Waal… - Journal of the …, 2003 - Wiley Online Library
MR Van de Scheur, RIF Van der Waal, I Van der Waal, TJ Stoof, SJH Van Deventer
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2003Wiley Online Library
Ano‐genital granulomatosis encompasses the previously recognized clinical entities of
vulvitis granulomatosa, posthitis granulomatosa, and ano‐perineitis granulomatosa. We
report three patients with ano‐genital granulomatosis. The pathological features of the
disease are lymphoedema and the presence of non‐caseating giant cell granulomas. These
granulomas are histologically indistinguishable from those found in both Crohn's disease
and sarcoidosis, therefore, patients with ano‐genital granulomatosis with accompanying …
Abstract
Ano‐genital granulomatosis encompasses the previously recognized clinical entities of vulvitis granulomatosa, posthitis granulomatosa, and ano‐perineitis granulomatosa. We report three patients with ano‐genital granulomatosis. The pathological features of the disease are lymphoedema and the presence of non‐caseating giant cell granulomas. These granulomas are histologically indistinguishable from those found in both Crohn's disease and sarcoidosis, therefore, patients with ano‐genital granulomatosis with accompanying gastro‐intestinal or pulmonary symptoms should be investigated for the presence of Crohn's disease or sarcoidosis, respectively. The value of ano‐genital granulomatosis as a unifying clinicopathologic concept is to provide a label for the affliction as well as to stimulate a careful search for possibly underlying systemic disorders, thus also permitting a more specific approach to therapy.
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