Vulvar Lymphangiectasia in Crohn�s Disease

Abstract

A 37-year-old woman appeared at our outpatient clinic with complaints of 'warts' on the mons pubis and the labia majora, in combination with moistness of the skin. This condition was previously diagnosed as 'genital warts', for which she received extensive cryotherapy at another clinic. She was diagnosed with M. Crohn when she was 17 years old. For this condition she underwent an ileocoecal resection when she was 21. Physical examination of the mons pubis and the labia majora showed papuli with the clinical appearance of genital warts. Shaving of the hair of the mons pubis damaged some of the papuli, causing an oozing of yellowish, transparent fluid. Histopathological examination was consistent with lymphangiectasia. The patient was treated by means of CO2 laser vaporization. A search of the relevant literature produced 18 cases of vulvar lymphangiectasia, associated with intra-abdominal surgery, radiotherapy, Crohn's disease and recurring cellulitis. The patients with Crohn's disease had all been operated.