Morphological Studies of the Bladder Wall in Interstitial Cystitis

Abstract

The available pathological evidence suggests that interstitial cystitis is associated with a pancystitis. The bladder wall is frequently thickened, the perivesical tissues are infiltrated, and there may be fixation of the bladder to surrounding structures. Microscopically there is frequent thinning of the mucosal lining, whilst in some areas the mucosa may be denuded of urothelial covering. The areas of ulceration may be covered by a layer of fibrin which sometimes contains collections of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and squamous metaplasia is occasionally observed. The most striking changes are seen in the subepithelial connective tissue where an intense reaction occurs beneath the areas of mucosal thinning.