Ano-genital granulomatosis: the counterpart of oro-facial granulomatosis.
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.
van de Scheur
M R
MR
Department of Dermatology, Medical Centre Vrije Universiteit/ACTA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. vandescheur@hotmail.com
van der Waal
R I F
RI
van der Waal
I
I
Stoof
T J
TJ
van Deventer
S J H
SJ
D000328:Adult; D001004:Anus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006099:Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male