Dermatológia pre prax 1/2010

Vulvar diseases – part I

Vulvar symptomatology manifested by vulvar discomfort in the form of itching, burning, cutting, and other sensations in the vulvar area, is the cause of chronic complaints in patients and a reason for repeated examinations by specialists – a gynaecologist and a dermatologist. The goal of a thorough examination which includes vulvoscopy with application of examination solution and obtaining biopsy samples is to determine the correct diagnosis with classifying the lesion into one of the five groups of vulvar diseases: vulvar dermatoses, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasias, neoplasias, infectious diseases, and vulvodynias. Issues related to vulvar disease are specific and, in certain situations, require a multidisciplinary team consisting of a gynaecologist, dermatologist, and histopathologist, who is able to establish a correct diagnosis based on which a treatment modality is chosen.

Keywords: vulvar disease, vulvar symptomatology, vulvar dermatoses