American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 199, Issue 5 , Pages 467.e1-467.e6, November 2008

The role of vulvar skin biopsy in the evaluation of chronic vulvar pain

  • Anneli R. Bowen, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
    • ,
  • Amber Vester, BS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
    • ,
  • Lily Marsden, BS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
    • ,
  • Scott R. Florell, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
    • ,
  • Howard Sharp, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
    • ,
  • Paul Summers, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT

Received 5 September 2007; received in revised form 19 December 2007; accepted 3 March 2008. published online 20 May 2008.

Sixty-one percent of refractory vulvodynia patients evaluated in a tertiary care vulvovaginal clinic had clinically relevant dermatoses based on dermatopathologist-analyzed vulvar biopsy including: lichen sclerosus, allergic/irritant dermatitis, lichen planus, and other inflammatory or neoplastic dermatoses. Given the frequency of dermatologic disease, vulvar biopsy and analysis by a dermatopathologist are recommended in patients with vulvodynia.

Key words: dermatopathology, lichen planus, lichen sclerosus, pathology, vulvodynia

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 Reprints not available from the authors.

 This study was supported by a grant from the Women's Dermatologic Society.

 Cite this article as: Bowen AR, Vester A, Marsden L, et al. The role of vulvar skin biopsy in the evaluation of chronic vulvar pain. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008;199:467.e1-467.e6.

PII: S0002-9378(08)00265-2

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2008.03.004

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 199, Issue 5 , Pages 467.e1-467.e6, November 2008

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