Is a urethral caruncle serious?

Is a urethral caruncle serious?

Urethral caruncle is a benign vascular tumor, which usually arises from the posterior lip of the urethral meatus. It represents the most common lesion of the female urethra and occurs primarily in postmenopausal women.

Can urethral caruncle be cured?

Most urethral caruncles can be treated conservatively with warm sitz baths and vaginal estrogen replacement. Topical anti-inflammatory drugs may also be useful. Unfortunately, data on the efficacy of conservative management are lacking in the literature.

What causes a vaginal caruncle?

Estrogen naturally keeps your genital area skin flexible and lush. If your levels drop, your skin may dry, thin down, tear easily, and become prone to other irritation. This may be why urethral caruncles are most common in women who have gone through menopause.

Can a urethral caruncle be cancerous?

Urethral caruncle is a common disease, and most cases are treated conservatively. However, malignant carcinoma arising from the urethral caruncle or urethral carcinoma resembling a caruncle has only rarely been reported.

What is the most common cause of the female urethral caruncle?

Low estrogen is the only known risk factor for urethral caruncles. People with low estrogen have a higher chance of developing the condition. Estrogen keeps the skin in your genital area soft and flexible.

What does it mean if my caruncle is swollen?

Caruncle swelling is common in patients with active GO[1]. Acute nonspecific inflammation induces infiltration of hydrophilic hyaluronic acid and cellular debris into the caruncular tissue, which can be used to assess disease activity[1]–[2].

Is it normal for your urethra to stick out?

What is urethral prolapse? The urethra is the tube that drains urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. Urethral prolapse occurs when the inner lining of the urethra sticks out. When this happens, the opening of the urethra looks like a small pink donut and seems larger than normal.

How is a urethral caruncle removed?

The operation is done through the vagina. The redundant inner wall of the urethra is removed. The wall of the urethra is then closed with sutures. A catheter might be inserted for few days, to help healing.

What does urethral prolapse look like?

Upon physical examination, urethral prolapse appears as a doughnut-shaped mass protruding from the anterior vaginal wall . In children, a pinkish orange congested mass may be observed at the center of the urethral meatus. The mass may be painful and tender to palpation.

Why is my urethral opening swollen?

Urethritis is the inflammation and swelling of the urethra, the narrow tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. It leads to difficulty or pain when urinating. Urethritis is usually caused by bacteria or a virus. A chemical irritant can also trigger it.