Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Inflammation of Littre’s Glands

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Pathology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Pathology ((EP))

  • 69 Accesses

Synonyms

Periurethral gland inflammation

Definition

Inflammation of periurethral glands of Littre (tubule-acinar mucinous glands located along the urethra that secrete mucus and are most numerous in the section of the urethra that runs through the penis).

Clinical Features

  • Incidence

    Very rare

  • Age

    Young adults mainly

  • Sex

    Male

  • Site and Presentation

    Patients usually report pain or discomfort during urination and urinalysis highlights an increase of leukocytes. Sometimes it presents with a firm small nodule of the penis or urethra (Krawitt and Schechterman 1977).

  • Treatment

    The therapy is symptomatic. If the inflammation process appears as a nodule, excision of the lesion is required due to the differential diagnosis with neoplastic masses.

  • Outcome

    Excellent prognosis

Macroscopy

The nodular presentation is more relevant in pathology practice and appears as a small tan nodule. The cut surface displays a honeycomb pattern.

Microscopy

The Littre’s gland lumen is occupied with mucus and...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References and Further Reading

  • Goldblum, J., Lamps, L., McKenney, J., & Myers, J. (2017). Rosai and Ackerman’s surgical pathology (11th ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krawitt, L. N., & Schechterman, L. (1977). Inflammation of the periurethral glands of Littre simulating tumor. The Journal of Urology, 118, 685.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Histopathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Careggi, Florence, Italy

    Caterina Fattorini & Maria Rosaria Raspollini

  2. Pathology Service, Champalimaud Clinical Center, Lisbon, Portugal

    Antonio Lopez-Beltran

  3. Unit of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Surgery, Cordoba University Medical School, Cordoba, Spain

    Antonio Lopez-Beltran

Authors
  1. Caterina Fattorini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonio Lopez-Beltran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maria Rosaria Raspollini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Rosaria Raspollini .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands

    J.H.J.M. van Krieken

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Fattorini, C., Lopez-Beltran, A., Raspollini, M.R. (2019). Inflammation of Littre’s Glands. In: van Krieken, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pathology. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_4831-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_4831-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation