CAVERNOUS HEMANGIOMA OF UTERINE CERVIX – A RARE CAUSE OF POSTCOITAL BLEEDING

Hemangiomas are abnormal accumulation or growth of blood vessels in the internal organs or in the skin. Most hemangiomas occur at birth while others develop after birth. There are two types of hemangiomas the capillary hemangioma and the cavernous hemangioma. A capillary hemangioma is usually seen at the top layer, while the cavernous hemangioma is often found at the deeper layer. Some patients, however, may present with both types. The cavernous hemangioma, also known as cavernoma, occurs less commonly than the capillary hemangioma. It is a benign tumor of blood vessels that rapidly grows over a period of time and does not usually reduce in size. Most cavernous hemangiomas are usually soft to the touch. Hemangiomas are common vascular, childhood benign tumors with special predilection to head & neck region. Benign vascular tumors are fairly common with wide distribution through the body. They may be single or multiple. They may occur in combination, affecting a number of organs and producing well known syndromes but vascular tumors of the female genital tract are very rare. There are relatively few reports in the world literature of hemangiomas of uterine cervix. To-date fewer than 50 cases have been reported. Most of these lesions show asymptomatic behavior and are incidental findings, but sometimes, they may cause abnormal vaginal bleeding in the form of menometrorrhagia and post coital bleeding. Whenever these lesions are there the presenting clinical features mimic the malignancy. Such tumors of the female genitalia are generally found in one organ and are rarely associated with other organ. They should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with vaginal bleeding