Disintegrating perineal disease in patients with urethral stricture and HIV infection: a review of 12 cases

Abstract

The aim of this study was to defne disintegrating perineal disease (DPD) and to determine whether the fulminating nature of the condition could be explained by urine and perineal swab microbiology or perineal histology. A retrospective study that included 12 male patients with urethral strictures and DPD was performed. DPD was defned as a chronic, destructive, purulent perineal infammation with multiple fstulae or sinuses of the perineum, scrotum or penoscrotal area, which continued for more than six weeks despite a patent urethra after direct vision internal urethrotomy (DVIU) or urinary diversion by means of suprapubic cystostomy. The median patient age was 43.5 years (range of 22-68 years). The patients all tested positive for human immunodefciency virus (HIV) infection. Their mean CD4 count was 340 cells/mm³ (range of 244-1 252 cells/mm³). Histology of the fstula tracts showed non-specifc infammation in 8 patients (66.7%), tuberculosis in 2 (16.7%), hydradenitis suppurativa in one (8.3), and squamous cell carcinoma in situ with condylomata acuminata in one patient (8.3%). DVIU was performed in 10 patients. Patency of the urethra could be achieved in only three patients for more than six weeks. Perineal urethrostomy was completed in three patients after failed DVIU. Ileal conduit urinary diversion and simple cystectomy was carried out in three patients and curing the DPD was accomplished in two. DPD relates to urethral stricture disease in HIV-positive men with secondary infection as the initiating cause, but no predominant microorganism is responsible for the condition. Simple cystectomy with urinary diversion may be the only solution to treating this debilitating disease.