interstitial cystitis

introduction

interstitial cystitis is the term given to chronic urinary frequency, urgency, and pelvic pain of unknown etiology but with evidence of cystitis on cystoscopy
patients may have sterile pyuria
90% are female, median age 40yrs but may occur in pre-pubertal children
cystoscopy may show either:
- ulcerative cystitis
  - <10% of cases
  - bladder overdistention in this type of interstitial cystitis results in fissures and cracks that bleed in the bladder epithelium
- non-ulcerative cystitis
  - after overdistention, these patients demonstrate glomerulations that are discreet, tiny, raspberry-like lesions appearing on the dome and lateral walls of the bladder and tiny mucosal tears and submucosal hemorrhages