Diseases of the uterus

Inflammations (infections) of the uterus are usually ascending infections from the vagina. The infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. One reason for such an infection can be unprotected sexual intercourse, for example.

Inflammation can be on the cervix (cervicitis) or the body of the uterus. Only the mucous layer of the uterus may be inflamed (endometritis), only the muscle layer (myometritis) or both layers (endomyometritis). The cervix can be the site of a benign or malignant tumor.

Benign tumors of the cervix can be genital warts (condylomas), polyps or cysts. Also benign are some tumors of the smooth muscle wall (called leiomyomas or myomas) and changes in the cells of the cervix in the so-called transformation zone.Malignant tumors of the cervix are cervical cancer (cervical carcinoma) and precancerous stages of cervical cancer (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia = CIN). The body of the uterus also distinguishes benign from malignant tumors.

Polyps, increased growth of the mucous membrane (endometrial hyperplasia) and tumors of the muscle layer (myomas) are considered benign. Parts of the uterine mucosa can also settle in other places such as the uterine muscle layer or even the ovaries (endometriosis) and then undergo cycle-dependent changes there. This would also be an example of a benign tumor.

You can find more information under our topic Endometriosis. The uterine cancer of the mucous membrane (endometrial carcinoma = corpus carcinoma) and the muscle layer (uterine sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma) are malignant tumors. In old age, some women suffer from a lowering (descensus) and protrusion (prolapse) of the uterus.

The causes are, for example, weak connective tissue or previous births. (see: Descensus of the uterus after birth) The uterus loses its hold and slides down towards the vaginal outlet. Uterine cysts are fluid-filled cavities that are lined with epithelium and surrounded by a capsule.

They can either lie completely in the tissue of the uterus or be connected to it via a tissue stalk (pedunculated cysts). The size of uterine cysts can be varied, and they can occur singly or in multiples and affect any age. The cavity of the cysts can consist of one or more chambers.

The cause for the development of uterine cysts is not yet fully understood, but hormonal connections are suspected. Cysts do not necessarily have to cause symptoms in the uterus. Depending on their location and size, they can remain completely asymptomatic and may be conspicuous as a chance finding during routine gynecological examinations or be associated with significant symptoms.

For example, changes in menstruation, abdominal pain or other uncharacteristic complaints in other organs can occur when very large or many cysts exert pressure on the surrounding tissue. Since many cysts can often spontaneously recede or even burst, therapy is not always necessary. However, hormonal and surgical therapy methods are used in cases of significant complaints.