Vasculitis Involving the Prostate

Vasculitis is uncommon in the prostate and usually reflects systemic disease, such as Wegener's granulomatosis or polyatteritis nodosa. Isolated vasculitis without systemic involvement is exceedingly rate. The author reports two case of isolate polyarteritis nodosa—like vasculitis confined to the prostate. The vasculitis was identified incidentally in transurethral resection specimens for benigh hyperplasia from two men age 69 and 71 years. Neither patient received further treatment, adn there was no evidence of systemic vasculitis after a 36 and 42 month follow-up, respectively. These findings indicate that prostatic vasculitis is not always a manfestation of systemic disease, but rather, may occur as an isolated incident. It is important to distinguish case of isolated polyarteritis nodosa-like vasculitis in the prostate from systermic disease, because the latter implies a poor prognosis and is an indication for agressive rhcraphy.