Operative Gynecology Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 Excerpt: ...a peculiar affection of the urethra about whose etiology we are still in the dark; it has been variously called " suburethral abscess," "abscess of the urethro-vaginal septum," "chronic abscess of the female urethra," "urethral urinary pocket," "urethral diverticulum," and "urethrocele." The essential features of the disease are an abscess cavity in the urethrovaginal septum communicating with the inferior wall of the urethra. The disease presents itself as a symmetrical rounded swelling of the anterior vaginal wall beneath the urethra, varying in size from two to three centimeters in diameter. It is sometimes ovoid and as big as a hen's egg, with its longest diameter in the axis of the vagina. The enlargement begins one or two centimeters behind the external urethral orifice, ami may extend back to the base of the bladder; it is sharply circumscribed, and can, as a rule, be seen at once, filling the vaginal outlet, on separating the labia. In one case which I have seen it was situated farther back toward the neck of the bladder, and was first detected by the finger recognizing a peculiar cushiony resistance at this point. The surface of the tumor is smooth, sometimes tense, and elastic or yielding to touch. If firm pressure is made upon the tumor it diminishes in volume as the contained pus flows out of the urethra. It is extremely painful to handle. A urethroscopic examination shows a deeply congested mucosa, and on withdrawing the speculum a few drops of pus suddenly gnsh into its lumen as it passes a certain point, and on moving it to and fro until the exact place is fixed, and elevating the handle a little to bring the floor of the urethra into better view, a small longitudinal fissure may be ...