Cysts are solid or liquid-filled sacs or pockets (cysts) within or on the surface of an ovary. Many ovarian cysts are benign and do not cause symptoms, but some can be painful or interfere with normal ovarian function. In some cases, cysts may also be cancerous, but this is relatively rare.
Depending on the presentation, age of the woman, and time of her menstrual cycle, a cyst could be nothing but a space filled with fluid that develops in the ovaries. Ovarian cysts are common in women, especially of childbearing age.
Cysts sometimes are formed when the follicle that contains an egg fails to break and release the egg out of the ovary, resulting in an accumulation of fluid and sometimes blood in the follicle.
Many ovarian cysts do not cause symptoms and are found during routine pelvic exams or ultrasounds, but you should seek medical review if you experience the following:
Various factors, including hormonal imbalances, ovulation, and pelvic infections, can cause ovarian cysts.
There are several types of ovarian cysts, which can be classified based on their cause and structure. Simple or functional cysts are the most common type of ovarian cyst formed during the menstrual cycle.
Functional cysts are usually benign. The two most common types of benign cysts include:
Some women develop polycystic ovary syndrome, in which the ovaries don’t ovulate properly and contain multiple tiny cysts. This condition is discussed separately as it is a different issue.
Other types of ovarian cysts include:
Several factors may increase the risk of developing ovarian cysts, including:
A vaginal ultrasound is often the first investigation to elicit the characteristics of the ovarian cyst.
A repeat ultrasound is often required six weeks after the first scan to see if the cyst has resolved itself with time. Sometimes additional tests include blood tests of tumour markers (blood substances produced by certain ovarian tumours), CT or MRI scans.
Some cysts will disappear by themselves, and some large cysts will require treatment.
Treatment options include non-surgical and surgical treatment. The non-surgical treatment includes:
Surgery will be recommended to remove the cyst or ovary for cysts 5 to 10 cm in diameter, causing pain and discomfort, or if they are highly suspicious to be cancerous.
Most smaller cysts can be treated using a surgical treatment for ovarian cysts called a laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) to remove the cysts.
Some larger or more complicated ovarian cysts may require an open surgery approach. This involves a larger incision on the abdomen and will require one to two days of an overnight stay in the hospital after the operation.
This is minimally invasive endoscopic surgery where:
The aim of either surgical approach when treating ovarian cysts is only to remove the cyst, leaving the ovaries intact. However, at times part or all of the ovary may need to be removed.
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