Congenital prepubic sinus: A variant of dorsal urethral duplication suggested by immunohistochemical analysis

Chao Cheng Huang, Wang Hseng Wu, Chee Yin Chai, Tzyy Choou Wu, Jiin Haur Chuang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: Congenital prepubic sinus is a rare disorder of uncertain etiology. Immunohistochemical staining is used to elucidate the etiology of the sinus. Materials and Methods: We treated 5 patients with congenital prepubic sinus. A sinogram delineated the tract, which was then excised. In addition to routine hematoxylin and eosin stain of the 5 specimens, immunohistochemical analysis was also performed with smooth muscle and sarcomeric actin, high (34βE12) and low molecular weight cytokeratin (35βH11), and cytokeratin 7 antibodies. Results: The 2 females and 3 males were 1 month to 14 years old. All patients had presented with purulent discharge from the sinus opening. Hematoxylin and eosin stain demonstrated transitional and squamous epithelium lining the sinus. Immunohistochemical study showed that the stain with 3 cytokeratin antibodies was moderately to strongly positive in all patients at the proximal end, low molecular weight cytokeratin weakly to moderately positive and cytokeratin 7 weakly positive to negative in 4 at the distal end. The results suggested that the lining epithelium was transitional proximally and squamous distally. An exception was a female patient who had the shortest tract lined with squamous epithelium only. Furthermore, smooth muscle but not sarcomeric actin demonstrated smooth muscle bundles around the sinus tract in 4 patients. Conclusions: The existence of transitional epithelium in the proximal part of the sinus and presence of smooth muscle bundles around it reinforce the theory that congenital prepubic sinus is a variant form of dorsal urethral duplication.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1876-1879
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Urology
Volume166
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2001
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Desmin
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Keratin
  • Urothelium

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