genitourinary disorders
Interstitial Cystitis
Key Points
Interstitial cystitis is noninfectious bladder inflammation that tends to cause chronic pelvic pain and urinary frequency. Diagnosis requires exclusion of other causes for symptoms (eg, UTIs, pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic prostatitis or prostatodynia, diverticulitis), cystoscopy, and biopsy. Cure is rare, but up to 90% of patients improve with treatment. Treatments can include diet modification, bladder training, and drugs (eg,pentosanpolysulfate sodium, tricyclic antidepressants, NSAIDs,dimethyl sulfoxideinstillation). Surgery is a last resort for patients with intolerable pain refractory to all other treatments. 