Abscessation of Bartholin's gland in children: two clinical case studies

An abscess of Bartholin's gland is extremely rare in pre-pubertal age. Literature reports only few cases of this abscess in children younger than 10 years of age. The Authors have thought it interesting to describe the two case reports of abscess of Bartholin's gland in children of 3 and 4 years of age. They were admitted to the Paediatric Surgery section of the Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproduction Medicine because they presented a painful mass located on labia majora. These children underwent surgery to drain the abscess. On discharging they were prescribed a course of antibiotic. The function of Bartholin's glands is to lubricate the introitus and external genitals with fluid and mucosal secretion. The abscess can cause the destruction of the gland and the loss of its relative function. Although the loss of only one of the Bartholin's glands is well tolerated, it could cause disability due to the reduction of vaginal lubrication. Nevertheless, since long term studies in literature on the consequences of the loss of the gland in paediatric age do not exist, there are still doubts about the possible "gynaecological uneasiness" of adults who presented this pathology at a pre-pubertal age. © Copyright 2005, CIC Edizioni Internazionali, Rome.