title: Ano-genital granulomatosis: the counterpart of oro-facial granulomatosis.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical Centre Vrije Universiteit/ACTA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. vandescheur@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: van de Scheur
authors.forename: R I F
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: van der Waal
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van der Waal
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Stoof
authors.forename: S J H
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: van Deventer
mesh_terms: 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