Bartholin abscess masquerading as an unusual vaginal prolapse: a case report
Varghese, L.; George, A.; Manipadam, M.Therese.
Journal of Reproductive Medicine 53(11): 874-876
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 0024-7758 PMID: 19097522 Document Number: 620696
Vaginal wall cysts and pelvic organ prolapse, although commonly encountered, rarely occur together. Typically, the differential diagnosis of vaginal wall prolapse includes anterior and/or posterior wall support defects. Although large vaginal cysts have the potential to disturb normal vaginal supports, these coexisting abnormalities are rarely reported. A 39-year-old multipara woman presented with a progressively enlarging vaginal bulge for 6 years, erroneously diagnosed as an enterocele with a unilateral paravaginal support defect. The enterocele was subsequently confirmed to be a 10 x 5-cm, thick-walled cystic mass histologically confirmed to be a Bartholin gland abscess. Unusual forms of vaginal prolapse require adequate ancillary investigation such as imaging to avoid diagnostic error and to improve preoperative planning and treatment.