Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is It?SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is It?
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Aurethral caruncleis the most common benign lesion of the female urethra. Most commonly seen inpostmenopausalwomen, urethral caruncles are rare in men.
Lack of estrogen can cause changes to the organs of the genitourinary system (organs of the reproductive and urinary systems) that can lead to the development of a urethral caruncle.
Although 32% of cases are asymptomatic (without symptoms), a urethral caruncle can cause bleeding, discomfort, andurinary tract infections(UTIs). Treatment of the condition is usually conservative; however, an excision (removal of tissue) of the growth may be necessary in some cases.
This article will discuss the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of a urethral caruncle.
SDI Productions/ Getty Images
What Is a Urethral Caruncle?
Theurethrais the tube attached to the bottom of thebladderthat drains urine from the body. The opening of the urethra is called the urethral meatus.
A urethral caruncle begins to form on the inside lip of the urethral meatus and is made ofepithelial, squamous, andhyperplastic urothelialcells. The average age of onset, according to a 2012 review of literature on the topic, is about 68, and the benign (noncancerous) lesion is usually visible upon physical exam.
What Are Symptoms of Urethral Caruncles?
Most urethral caruncles are asymptomatic due to their small size. They typically measure less than 1 centimeter (cm). However, larger masses have been reported and can lead to pain andurinary retention(inability to empty the bladder).Other symptoms of urethral caruncle include:
Urinary tract infections can be a symptom of a urethral caruncle, especially when the mass prevents complete emptying of the bladder.
What Causes Urethral Caruncles?
Although the cause of urethral caruncles is not fully understood,hypoestrogenic(decreased estrogen level) is likely a significant contributing factor to the condition, especially in postmenopausal people.
In addition, urethral irritation and trauma have been identified as possible causes of urethral caruncles.
How Are Urethral Caruncles Diagnosed?
Most urethral caruncles are found incidentally (a chance occurrence) upon physical examination. However, people who experience bleeding or pain may be diagnosed with the condition during a focused examination of the perineal area. Diagnosis of a urethral caruncle can include:
Some cancerous lesions can mimic a urethral caruncle. Accounting for less than 1% ofmelanomacases, primary malignant melanoma should be ruled out as this type of tumor can be mistaken for a urethral caruncle.Othercancersthat should be considered are urethrallymphoma, urethral leiomyoma, and urethralcarcinoma.
What Is Urethral Cancer?
How Are Urethral Caruncles Treated
Treatment for urethral caruncles depends on their severity of symptoms and includes:
Improvement in the size and symptoms of a urethral caruncle is often seen within six weeks of estrogen treatment, but it can take up to six months to completely resolve. Once estrogen is stopped, the urethral caruncle can recur or begin to grow again.
What Is the Prognosis of Urethral Caruncles?
Summary
A urethral caruncle is a benign growth of tissue that starts on the inside of the urethral meatus. Most commonly seen in postmenopausal women, urethral caruncles are usually asymptomatic; however, bleeding and discomfort can occur.
Physical examination and biopsy of the lesion help with diagnosis. Treatment options for urethral caruncles range from warm sitz baths to topical estrogen. If you’ve been diagnosed with a urethral caruncle, tell a healthcare provider if the growth becomes larger, bleeds more often, or is painful.
Skene’s Gland Cancer
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Conces MR, Williamson SR, Montironi R, Lopez-Beltran A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urethral caruncle: clinicopathologic features of 41 cases.Human Pathology. 2012;43(9):1400-1404. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2011.10.015Venyo A.Urethral caruncles: A review of the literature.WebmedCentral UROLOGY2012;3(6):WMC003454. doi: 10.9754/journal.wmc.2012.003454Akdemir F.A rare cause of acute urinary retention: Urethral caruncle.J Urol Surg.2018;5:209-211.Balai M, Gupta LK, Kumari A.Urethral caruncle in a perimenopausal female: Dramatic response to topical estrogen cream.Indian J Urol. 2018;34(4):308-309. doi:10.4103/iju.IJU_200_18Angelou K, Grigoriadis T, Diakosavvas M, Zacharakis D, Athanasiou S.The Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: An Overview of the Recent Data.Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7586. Published 2020 Apr 8. doi:10.7759/cureus.7586Safadi A, Schwalb S, Ben-Shachar I, Katz R.Primary malignant urethral melanoma resembling a urethral caruncle.Urol Case Rep. 2017;15:28-29. doi:10.1016/j.eucr.2017.08.004Urology Care Foundation.Benign (noncancerous) lesions in adults.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Conces MR, Williamson SR, Montironi R, Lopez-Beltran A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urethral caruncle: clinicopathologic features of 41 cases.Human Pathology. 2012;43(9):1400-1404. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2011.10.015Venyo A.Urethral caruncles: A review of the literature.WebmedCentral UROLOGY2012;3(6):WMC003454. doi: 10.9754/journal.wmc.2012.003454Akdemir F.A rare cause of acute urinary retention: Urethral caruncle.J Urol Surg.2018;5:209-211.Balai M, Gupta LK, Kumari A.Urethral caruncle in a perimenopausal female: Dramatic response to topical estrogen cream.Indian J Urol. 2018;34(4):308-309. doi:10.4103/iju.IJU_200_18Angelou K, Grigoriadis T, Diakosavvas M, Zacharakis D, Athanasiou S.The Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: An Overview of the Recent Data.Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7586. Published 2020 Apr 8. doi:10.7759/cureus.7586Safadi A, Schwalb S, Ben-Shachar I, Katz R.Primary malignant urethral melanoma resembling a urethral caruncle.Urol Case Rep. 2017;15:28-29. doi:10.1016/j.eucr.2017.08.004Urology Care Foundation.Benign (noncancerous) lesions in adults.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Conces MR, Williamson SR, Montironi R, Lopez-Beltran A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urethral caruncle: clinicopathologic features of 41 cases.Human Pathology. 2012;43(9):1400-1404. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2011.10.015Venyo A.Urethral caruncles: A review of the literature.WebmedCentral UROLOGY2012;3(6):WMC003454. doi: 10.9754/journal.wmc.2012.003454Akdemir F.A rare cause of acute urinary retention: Urethral caruncle.J Urol Surg.2018;5:209-211.Balai M, Gupta LK, Kumari A.Urethral caruncle in a perimenopausal female: Dramatic response to topical estrogen cream.Indian J Urol. 2018;34(4):308-309. doi:10.4103/iju.IJU_200_18Angelou K, Grigoriadis T, Diakosavvas M, Zacharakis D, Athanasiou S.The Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: An Overview of the Recent Data.Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7586. Published 2020 Apr 8. doi:10.7759/cureus.7586Safadi A, Schwalb S, Ben-Shachar I, Katz R.Primary malignant urethral melanoma resembling a urethral caruncle.Urol Case Rep. 2017;15:28-29. doi:10.1016/j.eucr.2017.08.004Urology Care Foundation.Benign (noncancerous) lesions in adults.
Conces MR, Williamson SR, Montironi R, Lopez-Beltran A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urethral caruncle: clinicopathologic features of 41 cases.Human Pathology. 2012;43(9):1400-1404. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2011.10.015
Venyo A.Urethral caruncles: A review of the literature.WebmedCentral UROLOGY2012;3(6):WMC003454. doi: 10.9754/journal.wmc.2012.003454
Akdemir F.A rare cause of acute urinary retention: Urethral caruncle.J Urol Surg.2018;5:209-211.
Balai M, Gupta LK, Kumari A.Urethral caruncle in a perimenopausal female: Dramatic response to topical estrogen cream.Indian J Urol. 2018;34(4):308-309. doi:10.4103/iju.IJU_200_18
Angelou K, Grigoriadis T, Diakosavvas M, Zacharakis D, Athanasiou S.The Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: An Overview of the Recent Data.Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7586. Published 2020 Apr 8. doi:10.7759/cureus.7586
Safadi A, Schwalb S, Ben-Shachar I, Katz R.Primary malignant urethral melanoma resembling a urethral caruncle.Urol Case Rep. 2017;15:28-29. doi:10.1016/j.eucr.2017.08.004
Urology Care Foundation.Benign (noncancerous) lesions in adults.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
