eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Genitourinary
Bartholin Gland Diseases: Differential Diagnoses & Workup
Updated: Dec 2, 2009
- Overview
- Differential Diagnoses & Workup
- Treatment & Medication
- Follow-up
- Multimedia
Differential Diagnoses
| Bartholin gland malignancy | Skene duct cyst |
| Chancroid | Syphilis |
| Endometriosis | Vaginitis |
| Gartner duct cyst | Vestibular mucous cysts |
| Gonorrhea | Vulvar malignancy |
| Hematoma | Warts, Genital |
| Hidradenoma | |
| Lipoma | |
| Sebaceous cysts |
Workup
Laboratory Studies
- In otherwise healthy, afebrile adults, blood tests are not necessary to evaluate an uncomplicated abscess or cyst.
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing should be available at the request of the patient; however, Bartholin abscesses are very rarely caused by sexually transmitted pathogens.
- Cultures are rarely useful in treatment of abscess; furthermore, routine culturing of drained fluid is not recommended.
Procedures
The following features are suggestive of Bartholin gland malignancy. Patients who present with any of these features should be referred to a gynecologist for biopsy:
- Age older than 40 years
- Chronic or gradually progressive, painless mass
- Solid, nonfluctuant, painless mass
- Prior history of labial malignancy
More on Bartholin Gland Diseases |
| Overview: Bartholin Gland Diseases |
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Bartholin Gland Diseases |
| Treatment & Medication: Bartholin Gland Diseases |
| Follow-up: Bartholin Gland Diseases |
| Multimedia: Bartholin Gland Diseases |
| References |
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References
Wechter ME, Wu JM, Marzano D, Haefner H. Management of Bartholin duct cysts and abscesses: a systematic review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. Jun 2009;64(6):395-404. [Medline].
Kushnir VA, Mosquera C. Novel technique for management of Bartholin gland cysts and abscesses. J Emerg Med. May 2009;36(4):388-90. [Medline].
de Góis Speck NM, Belfort PN, Mendes P, Kang HJ, Ribalta JC. Carbon dioxide laser treatment of Bartholin's gland cyst. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2007;34(1):50-1. [Medline].
Benedetti Panici P, Manci N, Bellati F, Di Donato V, Marchetti C, Calcagno M, et al. CO2 laser therapy of the Bartholin's gland cyst: surgical data and functional short- and long-term results. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. May-Jun 2007;14(3):348-51. [Medline].
Fambrini M, Penna C, Pieralli A, Fallani MG, Andersson KL, Lozza V, et al. Carbon-dioxide laser vaporization of the Bartholin gland cyst: a retrospective analysis on 200 cases. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. May-Jun 2008;15(3):327-31. [Medline].
Aghajanian A, Bernstein L, Grimes DA. Bartholin's duct abscess and cyst: a case-control study. South Med J. Jan 1994;87(1):26-9. [Medline].
Eppel W, Frigo P, Worda C, Bettelheim D. Ultrasound imaging of Bartholin's cysts. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2000;49(3):179-82. [Medline].
Goldberg JE. Simplified treatment for disease of Bartholin's gland. Obstet Gynecol. Jan 1970;35(1):109-10. [Medline].
Heah J. Methods of treatment for cysts and abscesses of Bartholin's gland. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. Apr 1988;95(4):321-2. [Medline].
Kdous M, Hachicha R, Iraqui Y, Jacob D, Piquet PM, Truc JB. [Necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum secondary to a surgical treatment of Bartholin's gland abscess]. Gynecol Obstet Fertil. Nov 2005;33(11):887-90. [Medline].
Tanaka K, Mikamo H, Ninomiya M, Tamaya T, Izumi K, Ito K, et al. Microbiology of Bartholin's gland abscess in Japan. J Clin Microbiol. Aug 2005;43(8):4258-61. [Medline].
Wheelock JB, Goplerud DR, Dunn LJ, Oates JF 3rd. Primary carcinoma of the Bartholin gland: a report of ten cases. Obstet Gynecol. Jun 1984;63(6):820-4. [Medline].
Woida FM, Ribeiro-Silva A. Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the Bartholin gland: an overview. Arch Pathol Lab Med. May 2007;131(5):796-8. [Medline].
Wydra D, Klasa-Mazurkiewicz D, Emerich J, Milczek T. The problem of accurate initial diagnosis of Bartholin's gland carcinoma resulting in delayed treatment and aggressive course of the disease. Int J Gynecol Cancer. May-Jun 2006;16(3):1469-72. [Medline].
Further Reading
Keywords
Bartholin gland cyst, Bartholin gland swelling, Bartholin gland abscess, Bartholin's gland, Bartholin's cyst, Bartholin cyst, Bartholin abscess, Bartholin's abscess, bartholinitis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, N gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, C trachomatis, Bartholin gland drainage
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Bartholin Gland Diseases