title: [Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome: a clinicopathological study of 14 cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS) is one of the most frequent causes of superficial dyspareunia in young women. VVS has a pronounced psychological impact. The results of pathological studies published thus far are controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen women with VVS were included in this study and underwent vestibular biopsy. Vulvar biopsies were taken from the orifice of Bartholin's gland. The biopsy samples were stained with a standard stain and PAS and 25 serial sections were prepared for each specimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean patient age was 26 years and VVS had been present for a mean 30 months. Extensive inflammation of mononuclear cells was observed in the vulvar chorionic epithelium. This inflammation was seen mainly around the minor vestibular glands. Mild exocytosis of lymphocytes was noted in the vestibular glands and ducts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most studies concerning this disease report chronic inflammation of the vulvar vestibular mucosa. This inflammation is seen mainly around the minor vestibular glands. We report the same pattern in our study. Moreover, we observed some exocytosis into the epithelium of minor vestibular glands and the excretory duct. This aspect has not been reported to date, further supporting the individual nature of this entity.
authors.affiliation: Clinique dermatologique, 1 place de l'Hôpital, 67091 Strasbourg cedex, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perrigouard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dreval
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cribier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lipsker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014844:Vulva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D054515:Vulvar Vestibulitis / Q000473:pathology*