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. 2017 Sep;5(3):e212-e214.
doi: 10.1016/j.esxm.2017.03.001. Epub 2017 Apr 28.

Cervical Ectropion May Be a Cause of Desquamative Inflammatory Vaginitis

Leia Mitchell  1 , Michelle King  2 , Heather Brillhart  3 , Andrew Goldstein  4
Affiliations

Cervical Ectropion May Be a Cause of Desquamative Inflammatory Vaginitis

Leia Mitchell et al. Sex Med. 2017 Sep.

Abstract

Desquamative inflammatory vaginitis is a poorly understood chronic vaginitis with an unknown etiology. Symptoms of desquamative inflammatory vaginitis include copious yellowish discharge, vulvovaginal discomfort, and dyspareunia. Cervical ectropion, the presence of glandular columnar cells on the ectocervix, has not been reported as a cause of desquamative inflammatory vaginitis. Although cervical ectropion can be a normal clinical finding, it has been reported to cause leukorrhea, metrorrhagia, dyspareunia, and vulvovaginal irritation. Patients with cervical ectropion and desquamative inflammatory vaginitis are frequently misdiagnosed with candidiasis or bacterial vaginosis and repeatedly treated without resolution of symptoms. We report the case of a 34-year-old woman with a 4-year history of profuse yellowish discharge and dyspareunia. Upon presentation, her symptoms and laboratory results met the criteria for desquamative inflammatory vaginitis, but the standard treatments did not provide long-lasting relief. As a last resort, cryotherapy (cryosurgery) of her cervix was performed for treatment of her cervical ectropion, which provided complete resolution of her symptoms. Mitchell L, King M, Brillhart H, Goldstein A. Cervical Ectropion May Be a Cause of Desquamative Inflammatory Vaginitis. Sex Med 2017;5:e212-e214.

Keywords: Cervical Ectopy; Cervical Ectropion; Cervicitis; Cryosurgery; Cryotherapy; Desquamative Inflammatory Vaginitis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Image of patient's cervix with ectopy before cryotherapy.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Image of patient's cervix 9 weeks after cryotherapy. The cervical ectropion has resolved.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Image of patient's cervix 34 months after cryotherapy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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