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Ano‐genital granulomatosis: the counterpart of oro‐facial granulomatosis 1
Author(s) -
Van De Scheur MR,
Van Der Waal RIF,
Van Der Waal I,
Stoof TJ,
Van Deventer SJH
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1046/j.1468-3083.2003.00573.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sex organ , dermatology , biology , genetics
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.