[Prostatitis from the morphologic viewpoint--an autopsy analysis]

In the light of differential-diagnostic and therapeutic problems the prostatitis plays an important role in the urologic practice, all the more since under this technical term pathomorphologically and pathogenetically different diseases are comprised. By systematic investigation by means of the serial section technique of 450 prostates from the current autopsy material and with the age groups 40 to more than 80 years we studies the various forms of prostatitis with regard to frequency, age distribution and correlation with other lesions of the prostate. The chronic unspecific prostatitis we found in 61% and the suppurative one in 36.7% of the cases. In the two forms changes with small foci had precedence with age-dependent increase of the frequency. While the chronic unspecific prostatitis first of all seems to be a reaction to the interplay of atrophic and hyperplastic lesions of the prostate, the suppurative prostatitis as above all a ductal ascending infection under cover of hyperplasia, disturbance of urine flow, urocystitis and longer hospitalisation. According to our investigations the inflammations are not suited as indicator for malignomas of the prostate. For clinical treatment and pathology the importance of the granulomatous prostatitis results from the differential diagnosis to the carcinoma of the prostate.