Urethra

Know the causes of urethritis.

• gonococcal

• nongonococcal--E.coli; other enteric organisms; Chlamydia; Mycoplasma; Reiter syndrome (arthritis, conjuctivitis, and urethritis)

• inflammatory lesion presenting a small, red, painful mass about the external urethral meatus in the female pt; hemispheric, friable 1-2cm nodule that occur singly either just outside or just w/in external urethral meatus; may be covered by intact mucosa but is very friable (slight trauma may cause ulceration of the surface and bleeding)

• no, commonly seen in older females

Know the pathology and px of urethral carcinoma.

• begins about external meatus or on the immediately surrounding structures; usually in older females. Those that protrude from external meatus appear as warty papillary growths; as they progress, they tend to become ulcerated; most malignant lesions are SCC; uncommonly, adenocarcinomatous growth pattern if found

• px: more aggressive than bladder CAs; more often invasive and more difficult to eradicate even though they seldom metastasize; most lead to death w/in a few yrs

Category: Pathology Notes