Bilateral bartholin's gland abscesses in a 4-year-old girl with vitamin a deficiency: a case report.

BACKGROUND: A Bartholin's gland abscess is one of the most common infections in women of reproductive age. Although Bartholin's gland abscesses have been reported in prepubertal children, they are rarer in prepubertal children than in adults. Herein, we report a case of bilateral Bartholin's gland abscesses in a 4-year-old girl with vitamin A deficiency. CASE PRESENTATION: A 4-year-old girl diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder was admitted to the hospital for close examination and treatment because of persistent fever and malaise. The child was a marked fussy eater and was diagnosed with corneal ulceration and night blindness secondary to vitamin A deficiency. Both of the patient's labia were swollen, and a diagnosis of a bilateral Bartholin's gland abscess was made using computed tomography. Incisional drainage was performed under general anesthesia. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged from the hospital on day 8 after the surgery. During hospitalization, attempts were made to correct the vitamin deficiency by adding nutritional supplements to the diet. Three months after the surgery, no recurrence of abscesses was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased immunocompetence and mucosal barrier function due to vitamin A deficiency is thought to be the underlying cause of Bartholin's gland abscesses. Although prepubertal Bartholin's gland abscesses have been reported, they are rare. To the best of our knowledge, no reports of bilateral Bartholin's gland abscesses potentially caused by vitamin A deficiency have been reported. When prepubertal girls present with Bartholin's gland abscesses, the presence of immunodeficiency due to vitamin or trace element deficiency should also be considered.

Feasibility and Satisfaction With the Word Catheter in Treatment of Bartholin's Cyst and Abscess.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The Word catheter is a silicone device with a balloon system that may be inserted into a Bartholin's cyst or abscess in order to provide drainage and epithelization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Word catheter as a therapy for Bartholin's cyst and abscess. Both patient and physician satisfaction, as well as the feasibility in an outpatient setting, were examined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 51 women with a Bartholin's cyst or abscess were given the option of Word catheter insertion in an outpatient setting between August 2013 and March 2018. Both the patients and the consulting physicians were asked to complete two questionnaires, before, during and after treatment, with a view to evaluating the overall pain level, any discomfort symptoms and sexual activity, as well as satisfaction levels. RESULTS: The insertion procedure seemed to constitute a short yet quite painful procedure. In most cases, the consulting physicians and the patients were content with the results. Nevertheless, dislodgement of the catheter or abscess recurrence were common. The removal of the Word catheter seemed to be short, painless, and uncomplicated. Most patients experienced pain and discomfort after catheter placement over the first days, with the symptoms fading over time. Sexual intercourse appeared to be negatively influenced. CONCLUSION: The Word catheter was frequently well tolerated for the treatment of Bartholin's cysts and abscesses, with few non-serious side-effects, however, it did interfere with sexual health. Nonetheless, it may not be possible to make general recommendations based on this exploratory study.

Vulval dermatoses: A review of referrals to dermatology.

We undertook a retrospective observational review of patients referred to a tertiary dermatology department with vulval complaints over 12 months. The most common provisional diagnoses made by the referrer and final dermatology diagnoses were lichen sclerosus (54% and 38%), dermatitis (12.7% and 16.5%) and psoriasis (5.1% and 6.3%). Referrers may benefit from further education about skin diseases of the vulva, topical steroids for vulval complaints and the importance of clinical photography.

The prevalence of vulvovaginal symptoms in Japanese women of reproductive and perimenopausal ages: A cross-sectional study across generations.

AIM: This cross-sectional study evaluated vaginal health and hygiene practices among reproductive and perimenopausal women in Japan using an online-based questionnaire. METHODS: The questionnaire included 11 well-structured questions concerning vulvovaginal symptoms and hygiene care practices. Participants' responses were anonymized and analyzed descriptively. The relationships of age, family income, occupation, and childbearing with women's concerns regarding vaginal or vulvar problems were analyzed by chi-square tests. RESULTS: About 80% of women in their 20s to 50s in Japan reported experiencing vulvovaginal symptoms. Women in their 40s had significantly fewer symptoms than women in their 20s (p = 0.04), and women in their 50s had significantly fewer symptoms than all other age groups (20s, 30s, and 40s) (p < 0.001). Among symptomatic women, 77.5% did not discuss their symptoms with anyone else and only 10% visited doctors. About 12.5% of women reported taking special care of their vagina or vulva regularly, whereas 38.2% expressed a desire to try some form of care but had not yet done so. Of the women who did not take special care of their vagina or vulva, 46.2% lacked knowledge about proper care, 42.2% did not want to spend money on care, 30.5% did not want to discuss care with others, and 21.3% were psychologically reluctant. CONCLUSION: Determination of the prevalence of vulvovaginal symptoms among Japanese women can enhance understanding of this prevalent condition and its impact on women's health. These findings may help formulate effective public health interventions and promote better hygienic practices, thus improving the well-being of women in Japan.

Can vulvar edema be the presenting sign of Crohn's disease? A case series.

Vulvar involvement as an extraintestinal manifestation of Crohn's disease (CD) is a challenging diagnosis considering that vaginal findings may precede gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical presentation, radiological findings, and treatment of vulvar Crohn's disease (VCD). We reviewed the time from initial presentation to diagnosis, presenting symptoms, radiological findings, gastrointestinal Crohn's disease Paris classification, and treatment response of five female pediatric patients. All the patients had radiological findings of vulvar inflammation on magnetic resonance imaging. Vaginal symptoms preceded gastrointestinal disease in two of the patients, which correlated with a delay in diagnosis. All patients had active disease on colonoscopy, with three of them having significant colorectal inflammation. Four of the patients were treated with infliximab, while one patient received ustekinumab with a resolution of their symptoms. In conclusion, VCD can precede gastrointestinal symptoms and is easily miss-diagnosed, leading to a delayed Crohn's disease diagnosis and treatment.

Propuesta para superar las dificultades diagnósticas de las úlceras de Lipschütz, a propósito de un caso / Proposal to overcome the diagnostic difficulties of Lipschütz ulcers. A case study

La úlcera de Lipschütz, llamada así por el dermatólogo austríaco que la describió por primera vez en 1913, es una patología poco frecuente que se debe considerar en el diagnóstico diferencial de las úlceras genitales de mujeres con o sin vida sexual activa. Es precedida por síntomas sistémicos típicos de una viriasis y tiene buen pronóstico por su curso autolimitado. La falta de conocimiento de esta entidad (sobre todo en su etiopatogenia), su baja incidencia y la ausencia de criterios diagnósticos claros contribuyen a que siga siendo infradiagnosticada. Con el presente trabajo, pretendemos minimizar este problema al crear un método diagnóstico simplificado que a su vez permite una clasificación pionera.(AU)

Lipschütz ulcer is named after the Austrian dermatologist who first reported this in 1913. It’s a rare pathology that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of genital ulcers in women with or without an active sexual life. It’s preceded by systemic symptoms typical of a viral infection and it has a good prognosis as it’s self-limited. This entity is underdiagnosed due to limited knowledge (especially in aetiopathogenesis), its low incidence and because there are no clear diagnostic criteria. We tried to improve this problem by creating a simplified diagnostic method and a pioneer classification.(AU)

Efficacy and safety of vaginal formulations with tyndallized ferments in subjects with nonspecific vulvovaginitis: A randomized study in Italy.

AIM: In this study, we tested the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of vaginal ovules and a vaginal douche containing tyndallized ferments in women affected by nonspecific vulvovaginitis, with or without the human papillomavirus (HPV). METHODS: The study included 91 female patients and had a randomized, controlled sequential design, with parallel groups. Ovules and douche were tested and compared to a control group treated with sterile physiological solution. Total symptom score (TSS), individual signs and symptoms, therapeutic success were evaluated, as well as safety and tolerability. RESULTS: The tyndallized ferments formulations (ovules and douche) had a safe and tolerable profile, and resulted in a significant decrease in TSS in patients affected by nonspecific vulvovaginitis, both at 5 and 10 days of treatment, when compared to a control group. The treatment was more effective than the control in reducing symptoms such as vulvar erythema, vulvar edema, itching, and burning. Patients affected by vulvovaginitis and HPV-positive received a 30 days treatment either with ovules or ovules + douche, and we observed an improvement at Day 30 compared to Day 0, for both regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that topical treatment with tyndallized ferments is a safe and effective strategy to reduce symptoms of nonspecific vulvovaginitis.

Comparison of Word Catheter and Marsupialization in the Management of Bartholin's Glands: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: There is no consensus on the best option for the management of Bartholin's gland abscesses. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the Word catheter placement and marsupialization methods in the management of women with a cyst or abscess of the Bartholin's glands. DATA SOURCES: The PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases, as well as Google Scholar, were searched to retrieve articles published between January 1990 and July 2023, comparing the Word catheter treatment with marsupialization for women with a cyst or abscess of the Bartholin's glands. STUDY SELECTION: Both observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this meta-analysis. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: After the review, out of 9 relevant articles, only 4 (2 observational studies and 2 RCTs) were included in this meta-analysis, providing the data of 735 patients (396 in the Word catheter group vs. 339 in the marsupialization group). The data was extracted from the selected articles, using a data extraction form. Comparison of the Word catheter and marsupialization methods suggested that the risk of recurrence was approximately 7.6% in the Word catheter group and 9.4% in the marsupialization group. The findings indicated no significant difference in the recurrence of cysts or abscesses when comparing the Word catheter treatment with marsupialization (odds ratio = 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.29-3.43, P = 0.990, I2 = 77%). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis found no significant difference in the rate of recurrence between the Word catheter and marsupialization methods. In general, marsupialization and Word catheter placement in the treatment of Bartholinitis seem to be equally effective.

Insights from a joint pediatric dermatology-gynecology vulvar clinic: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Pediatric vulvar disease has not been widely explored in the medical literature. Few studies focus on vulvar disease in skin of color. The vulvar disease can be distressing for young patients given the sensitive location, and providers may lack experience in diagnosing and managing vulvar dermatoses. We sought to characterize the conditions seen, diagnostic challenges encountered, and the racial and ethnic factors associated with vulvar diseases in our multidisciplinary pediatric dermatology-gynecology vulvar clinic at Children's National. METHODS: Medical records of 220 patients who presented to our multidisciplinary pediatric dermatology-gynecology clinic were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Lichen sclerosus (LS) (36%, n = 80), inflammatory vulvitis (11%, n = 23), and vitiligo (9%, n = 19) were the three most frequent conditions observed. These conditions were often misdiagnosed as one another. There was a mean delay in diagnosis after symptom onset in LS patients of 16.43 months. CONCLUSIONS: LS, inflammatory vulvitis, and vitiligo are common vulvar diseases among pediatric patients. Accurate diagnosis is important because LS must be treated aggressively to prevent sequelae. Further studies are warranted to help differentiate LS and vitiligo with consideration of skin tone.

Vulvar-vaginal-gingival-otic syndrome.

In order to retrospectively analyse the multi-site involvement pattern of erosive lichen planus patients, we retrospectively reported the clinical and medical data of three patients with erosive lichen planus which involving their vulva, vagina, gingiva, and ear canal. We confirmed the existence of otic lichen planus, and found that it is more common in patients with vulvovaginal-gingival syndrome of erosive lichen planus. Therefore, we propose 'vulvovaginal-gingival-otic syndrome' to further describe this rare compound pattern of lichen planus.

Vulvar Ulcers: An Algorithm to Assist With Diagnosis and Treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Vulvar ulcers can be challenging to diagnose, manage, and treat. Ulcers can be nonspecific in appearance and have many etiologies. Description of the lesion is very important. METHODS: An interactive vulvar ulcer algorithm was created to aid in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of vulvar ulcers. RESULTS: The algorithm flowchart begins with careful history and physical examination. Pending these, specific tests can be obtained to aid in diagnosis. The algorithm also links to appropriate treatments. The algorithm can be accessed on the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease Web site ( issvd.org ). Each underlined word in the algorithm is a hyperlink that leads to a wealth of information on the topic that providers can use to direct testing and aid in diagnosis and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The vulvar ulcer algorithm can help clinicians with diagnosis and treatment plans.