Patient's question:
Main symptoms: Abnormal vaginal discharge, purulent in natureOnset time: Unclear
Laboratory test results:
Doctor's answer:
Cervical hyperplasia, with symptoms of purulent discharge and Bartholin's gland cysts. Cervical hyperplasia and glandular cysts are also a common manifestation of chronic cervical inflammation. Cervical hyperplasia and glandular cysts can exist independently or occur simultaneously. The former refers to the enlargement of the cervical volume, while the latter is caused by the closure of glandular openings due to various factors or etiologies, leading to the retention of glandular secretions and the formation of cysts. The factors or etiologies that cause cervical hyperplasia are: long-term stimulation by chronic inflammation, leading to congestion and edema in the cervical tissue, hyperplasia of cervical glands and stroma, compression of glandular ducts by surrounding proliferated tissue, making it difficult for the secreted mucus to be expelled, and the formation of retention cysts. Superficial glandular cysts protrude towards the cervical surface and are easily observed, while deep glandular cysts often cause the cervix to appear thickened and enlarged to varying degrees, generally referred to as cervical hyperplasia. Deep glandular cysts are difficult to detect with the naked eye but can be seen on ultrasound as varying-sized round hypoechogenic areas in the cervical muscular wall. Due to damage or inflammatory stimulation, the surface of the hypertrophied cervix may also exhibit squamous epithelial desquamation and columnar epithelial hyperplasia, leading to erosion. After treatment for inflammation, the congestion and edema in the cervical area subside, and the cervical surface is once again covered by squamous epithelium, returning to a smooth state. However, the proliferated connective tissue does not regress and remains, so the cervix still maintains its hypertrophied appearance, sometimes even increasing by more than 1-2 times. The main clinical symptoms of cervical hyperplasia and glandular cysts are increased vaginal discharge. Additionally, due to connective tissue hyperplasia and the spread of inflammation along the parametrium or via the uterosacral ligaments to the pelvic cavity, patients often report lower back and sacral pain or a sense of heaviness and fullness in the perineum, which are two prominent symptoms of cervical hyperplasia.