Study of focal arteritis of the epididymis

Abstract EN

Necrotising arteritis apparently confined to one organ yet showing histological features similar to those seen in polyarteritis nodosa is now well recognised.

To report four cases of apparently isolated arteritis of the epididymis in patients who have no clinical evidence of systemic disease.

The clinical.

Histological, and immunohistochemical features of four cases of appareltly isolated arthritis of the epidiymis are presented.

The aetiology and pathogenesis of the condition are discussed.

Immunoglobulin and complement were shown in in acute arterial lesions, but this is not conclusive evidence that isolatated arteritis is either an immune complex disease or a forme fruste of polyarteritis nodosa.

It is important that any patients with histological evidence of necrotizing arteritis should have full clinical, hematological, and biochemical investigations to exclude systemic disease because of the clinical differences between polyarteritis nodosa and isolated arteritis