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Female urethral syndrome. A female prostatitis?
1Department of Surgery, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, California, USA.
The Western Journal of Medicine
|May 1, 1996
Summary
Female urethral syndrome may stem from infections in the microscopic "female prostate." Palpating for tenderness aids diagnosis, and treatment similar to male prostatitis offers relief.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Gynecology
- Anatomy
Background:
- Female urethral syndrome presents with subjective symptoms like urinary frequency and dysuria, lacking objective findings.
- Previous understanding of the syndrome's cause was limited, leading to ineffective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the cause of female urethral syndrome.
- To establish a diagnostic method and effective treatment for the condition.
Main Methods:
- Histological examination of paraurethral glands, identifying prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
- Clinical palpation of the anterior vaginal wall to detect paraurethral tenderness.
- Treatment mirroring male prostatitis protocols.
Main Results:
- Paraurethral glands are homologous to the prostate, exhibiting PSA and susceptibility to infection.
- Localized paraurethral tenderness is an objective diagnostic finding.
- Treatment analogous to male prostatitis effectively resolves symptoms and tenderness.
Conclusions:
- Infections of the "female prostate" (paraurethral glands) are a likely cause of female urethral syndrome.
- Objective diagnosis is achievable through clinical palpation.
- Current treatments like urethral dilation and tranquilizers should be replaced with prostatitis-like therapies.