Introduction
Ovarian cysts are tumors of the ovaries, which may cause symptoms such as irregular vaginal bleeding, pain, or abdominal swelling. These tumors are usually benign, and most of them are due to ovulation disorders (eg follicle that over grew), although a small percentage of them may be pre-cancerous or even cancerous.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is obtained by gynecological examination and pelvis ultrasound via vaginal and /or abdominal approach. Usually, blood samples are taken as well to test for ovarian markers (also called tumor markers) that may assist in diagnosing the nature of the cyst and differentiate between a benign cyst and pre-cancerous or cancerous cyst.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the nature of the cyst (namely, its size, its form as seen in ultrasound, and the symptoms it causes). Sometimes follow-up by periodical ultrasound imaging is enough.
That is true mainly for benign cysts resulting from disorders of ovulation that tend to disappear over time. In other cases, surgical removal of the cyst or the ovary, (usually in postmenopausal women), is required.
Laparoscopy is the preferred surgical technique, that is, inserting an optical fiber through small incisions in the abdominal wall through which the surgeon observes the abdominal cavity and performs the required surgery without cutting the abdomen.
Recovery after such surgery is very rapid, the success rates are excellent and the risk rate is low.