Malacoplakia: a 25-year experience with a review of the literature

Our experience with 9 cases of genitourinary malacoplakia is reviewed. The bladder was involved in 4 patients, ureter in 2, prostate in 1, testis in 1 and a combination of prostate, bladder, rectum and pelvic adnexae in 1. The female-to-male ratio was 2:1. Escherichia coli was present in 7 of 8 available urine cultures. Of 9 patients 2 had associated immunocompromised conditions. A variety of therapeutic approaches were chosen, depending mainly on location and extent of disease. These varying combinations of medical and surgical therapies produced resolution of disease in 8 of 9 patients. Generally, upper tract involvement requires surgical intervention, while most cases of lower tract involvement can be managed with antibiotics and endoscopic resection. Rare cases of extensive lower tract malacoplakia may require extirpation for cure.