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| Follow
the links for more information without losing the Women's Health Care Index
Page. Simply close this window after you have visited them or Click
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| The
most common site of a pelvic mass is the ovary. The age of the woman gives
the doctor great insight into how serious the finding of an ovarian cyst
can be. |
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| Finding
a cyst in a young girl before she's begun menstruation is alarming and
can be malignant 50% of the time. An ovarian cyst in a post-menopausal
woman is also frequently malignant. In both of these age groups, diagnostic
surgery to make an absolute identification is needed. This can be done
by either diagnostic laparoscopy which is inserting a tube with a camera
attached to it through the belly button, or diagnostic laparotomy which
is making an incision through the abdomen, and looking at the ovary. |
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| The
most challenging area of patient care for a doctor are the cysts that occur
between these two extremes in the reproductive life of women. A sonogram
can help in the diagnosis. |
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| Functional
cysts are the most common type of ovarian
cyst. A functional cyst can be one of four types and are not malignant:follicular,
corpus luteum, theca luteum, and polycystic ovaries. |
| A
follicular
cyst occurs when the normal follicle,
or sac that matured to release an egg, does not shrink after release of
the egg. These are soft, have thin membrane walls, and contain clear fluid.
These can rupture, causing sudden, severe pain which gradually goes away
over several days. Usually, however, they spontaneously disappear over
the course of one or more menstrual cycles. They can cause changes in your
periods and pelvic pain. Depending on the size of the cyst, it can just
be observed or treated with birth control pills. |
| Corpus
luteum cysts are less common, but cause
more symptoms and problems. They become larger than follicular cysts, thus
causing more pelvic pain. They result when bleeding occurs in the follicle
after an egg is released. This type of cyst often causes a delayed period
and if it ruptures, can cause bleeding into the abdomen which may neccesitate
surgery. |
| Theca
luteum cysts, the least common of the
functional cycts, are often asscociated with an abnormal pregnancy. They
most often occur in both ovaries, unlike the functional cycts described
above. They disappear without treatment after the pregnancy is terminated. |
| Polycystic
ovaries are multiple clear fluid filled
cysts in both ovaries and are associated with menstrual problems and hormone
imbalances. |
| Endometriosis
can cause complex ovarian cysts or endometriomas, also commonly
called chocolate cysts. Up to 60% of women with endometriosis have ovarian
involvement. |
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