A Large Vaginal Bulge Might Not Be a Genital Prolapse

Abstract

Vaginal tumors, whether benign or malignant, are rare. They include fibroepithelial polyps (FEPs), which are benign lesions originating in mesenchymal cells, comprised of a core of connective tissue covered by squamous epithelium. They are usually small and asymptomatic. When symptomatic or very large, they may cause bleeding, genital discomfort or the presence of a bulge in the vagina. In the last case, they may be mistaken for a genital prolapse. Although their physiopathology is still not clearly understood, the presence of hormonal receptors and the occurrence of FEPs during the use of hormone therapy or pregnancy suggest that changes in the stroma of these lesions may be induced by hormones. We report on the case of a patient who presented with a vaginal bulge and was referred to the urogynecology outpatient ward with a diagnosis of genital prolapse, which had actually a large fibroepithelial polyp on the posterior vaginal wall.