Browse the corpus

The Bartholin glands, also known as the greater vestibular glands, are important organs of the female reproductive system. Danish anatomist Caspar Bartholin Secundus first described these structures in 1677.[1] The glands primarily produce a mucoid secretion that aids vaginal and vulvar lubrication. The Bartholin glands are located in the vulvar vestibule on either side of the vaginal introitus (see Image. Bartholin Gland). These structures are homologous to the bulbourethral (Cowper) glands in men. Bartholin gland pathology may present as an asymptomatic mass, causing only vulvar asymmetry. Symptomatic masses may exhibit severe tenderness, surrounding erythema, and edema. Cysts and abscesses often form in women of reproductive age and do not always require intervention. Mass biopsy and excision may be necessary if malignancy is suspected, though this occurrence is rare. In-depth knowledge of the anatomy and function of the Bartholin glands enables clinicians to treat various conditions affecting the female external genital area.