CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF URETHRAL POLYPS IN WOMEN WITH UROGENITAL INFECTION
The mixed histologic features of urethral polyps (caruncles) included heterogenous epithelial lining (with hyperplasia, metaplasia and erosions) overlying a variably edematous, inflamed, fibrotic and vascular stroma with lymphoid follicles, microvascular bed expansion and venous plexus dilation. The combination of pronounced epithelial hyperplasia, neoangiogenesis and myofibroblast proliferation suggests that dysregenerative hyperplasia is at the basis of the underlying mechanisms of polypoid growth. Urogenital infection may be an important contributing factor: it's presence is associated with increased levels of IL-1b and TNF-a, enhanced inflammation in the polyp tissue, relative prevalence of hyperemic type of microcirculation, and increased frequency of relapses after surgical resection, which substantiates the use of a preliminary course of etiotropic antibacterial treatment.