Ovarian cyst
Ovarian cyst is a tumor—like benign formation filled with fluid and located in the ovarian cavity. It is most often diagnosed in women of childbearing age, less often in women over 50. The primary symptoms of the cyst are weakly expressed, while secondary may be internal bleeding, abdominal enlargement, sharp pains in the lower abdomen. You can diagnose a cyst by regularly seeing a gynecologist, as well as by undergoing an ultrasound procedure. If the cyst is not in a neglected form, then conservative treatment will suit the patient. In more severe cases, surgical intervention is prescribed.
The content of the article:
Ovarian cyst — what is it?
General information about ovarian cyst
Causes of ovarian cyst
Symptoms of ovarian cyst
Diagnosis of ovarian cyst
Complications of ovarian cyst
Treatment of ovarian cyst
Prognosis after ovarian cyst cure
Ovarian cyst
Ovarian cyst — what is it?
Ovarian cyst is a benign tumor-like formation, the diameter of which is no more than 15 cm. The cyst is filled with liquid contents. Translated from ancient Greek, “cyst” means “bubble”. Basically, the cyst occurs in women under the age of 50.
As experience shows, usually an ovarian cyst is a benign formation, in other words, it is a tumor that is not characterized by aggressive growth. But there is also such a cyst, which can eventually develop into a malignant tumor.
General information about ovarian cyst
Ovarian cyst can be of several types. The most common type is a functional cyst. As a rule, such a cyst is formed either from the corpus luteum or from the follicle. The follicular cyst disappears over time by itself. Special treatment for this type of cyst is not provided, since there is no urgent need for it. It is only necessary to be observed by a doctor in order to make sure that the cyst has not started to grow. Usually such a cyst appears at the very beginning of the menstrual cycle. In the process of its formation , the size of the cyst can reach 5 cm. In case of rupture of the follicular cyst, a woman may feel a sharp pain in the lower abdomen. Similar pain can also be felt in the lower back.
Such a type of cyst as a yellow body cyst can develop immediately after ovulation, as soon as the egg is released from the follicle. As you know, the yellow body is a follicle that ruptured at the time of ovulation. Sometimes such a yellow body is filled with blood or other kind of fluid. This type of cyst usually occurs only on one ovary. The yellow type of cyst is not characterized by any symptoms. If a yellow body cyst develops, hemorrhage occurs, which is a sure sign of another type of cyst, which is a hemorrhagic cyst. Its symptoms are pain in the abdominal area from the side where the ovary is located.
Another type of ovarian cyst is a dermoid cyst. As a rule, it appears in young women. It is such a formation, the size of which can be 15 cm, which may also contain hair, cartilage or bone tissue. It is also characteristic that this type of cyst can be displayed on ultrasound in different ways. The best diagnostic method is computed tomography. Sometimes a dermoid cyst can be complicated, in which case a woman feels a sharp pain in the abdominal area. Surgical intervention to remove the cyst should be performed immediately.
If a woman has endometriosis, then she may face the development of endometrioma. The endometrial tissue participates in the formation of the latter, in other words, the tissue of the inner side of the uterine mucosa. The size of such a cyst can be from 2 to 20 cm. The presence of endometrioma will be indicated by pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation.
Another type of cyst development is a polycystic ovary, which is not necessarily diagnosed only in those who have endocrinological diseases, but also in previously healthy women. In this case, the ovary usually increases in size, and its outer side is covered with many cysts, the size of which is usually small.
Cystic adenoma is another type of benign tumor, in the formation of which ovarian tissue takes part. The size of such a cyst can reach up to 30-32 cm in diameter.
Causes of ovarian cyst
There are a lot of causes of ovarian cysts. So, for example, one of them may be a hormonal imbalance. As soon as you notice a hormonal malfunction in your body, you need to immediately restore your hormone levels. Hormonal disorders can occur due to dieting or overeating, as well as with a lack or, conversely, with excess weight. Hormonal disorders can be the result of stress or a sudden change in climate. Bad habits such as alcohol, smoking and drugs can also lead to hormonal disorders.
An ovarian cyst can be the result of any gynecological intervention — an improperly performed abortion or an unskilled delivery. The risk group especially includes those women who have had a cesarean section or those who have had a spiral installed.
The lifestyle that a woman leads also determines the nature of the course of certain diseases, and at the same time the likelihood of a cyst. It is proved that the ovarian cyst appears first of all in those girls who began to live a sexual life early. Frequent change of partners, sex during menstruation, overwork, excess physical exertion — all this can cause the appearance of a cyst, which is a benign formation.
Among other reasons, there may be a violation of the function of the thyroid gland. It should be said that the function of the thyroid gland is very important in determining a woman’s health. Its violation can lead not only to the appearance of a cyst, but also to more serious diseases.
Symptoms of ovarian cyst
Usually, an ovarian cyst does not manifest as any symptoms. Symptoms can only be detected during an ultrasound examination. Still, some women have separate symptoms. So, for example, a woman may feel pain appearing and abruptly disappearing in the abdominal area, or rather, in the lower abdomen. The pain may be acute or dull. Irregular menstruation is another sure sign that a woman may develop a cyst. Heaviness in the lower abdomen and prolonged pain during menstruation are also symptoms of a possible cyst. However, the cyst is characterized not only by pain during menstruation, but also during sexual intercourse or exercise. The feeling of squeezing during bowel emptying or during urination is another sign that a woman develops a cyst on her ovary. Symptoms can also include intermittent spotting, as well as nausea and vomiting.
In general, all the symptoms of an ovarian cyst can be divided into primary and secondary. An ovarian cyst at the primary stage may not be characterized by symptoms at all. It is also interesting that even a violation of the menstrual cycle does not occur at the primary stage. At this stage, the cyst is a formation, the size of which is very small, since the fluid in it accumulates very slowly. Such a cyst is usually found in women belonging to the group of childbearing age. The cyst may be functional or temporary, or it may pass before the next menstruation. Another distinctive feature of this benign formation is the cyst leg. An interesting fact is that during physical exertion, the leg can twist, which is characterized by corresponding pains in the abdominal area. The leg of the cyst can twist through the intestinal loop and cause intestinal obstruction. The latter will be a secondary development of the cyst, which requires immediate surgical intervention. Among the secondary symptoms, one can distinguish not only the fact that the cyst leg is twisted, but also the occurrence of a characteristic hemorrhage.
Among the secondary symptoms, one can also distinguish provoked bleeding, suppuration, rupture of the cyst, its twisting, increased body temperature, vomiting, and so on. It is known that in the later stages of development, a cyst leads to a violation of the menstrual cycle. Menstruation begins either very late or earlier in time. It is also characteristic that menstruation can be either meager or, on the contrary, abundant. If the size of the cyst has reached more than fifteen centimeters, the abdomen may increase. An increase in the abdomen or its bloating is a characteristic symptom of the development of an ovarian cyst at a late stage.
At the advanced stage, the cyst is so large that it can disrupt the work of any internal organ. Which will be another additional symptom of an emerging and developing cyst. If the cyst is not examined in a timely manner, it can come off and get into the abdominal cavity, causing a disease such as peritonitis.
If you experience any of the above symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. Timely treatment will help to avoid radical measures, which can be a surgical type of cyst removal. A cyst on the ovaries in women does not require a delay in its treatment. Having identified a cyst, it is necessary to start treatment, the sooner the better.
Diagnosis of ovarian cyst
Wondering what an ovarian cyst is, and what are the main methods of its diagnosis, it should be called a regular examination by a gynecologist. It is the gynecologist who is able to identify a possible tumor-like formation. Another proven method is ultrasound, which is a type of diagnosis that will help to identify the disease or any existing disorder in a painless way. If ultrasound revealed a tumor-like formation, the next step in determining the quality of this tumor is a puncture of the posterior trunk of the vagina for the detection of cyst complications. It is the puncture that allows you to detect fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Perhaps the most reliable and effective type of cyst detection is laparoscopy. Such a study is used not only to detect a deviation that causes a malfunction of the ovary, but also as a treatment for this organ.
When diagnosing a cyst, women should be extremely attentive to its further investigation. So, for example, only a detailed study in the pathomorphological laboratory will allow you to determine with 100% certainty whether this is a benign formation or a tumor that has managed to develop into a malignant one.
A cyst is also detected by conducting a blood test for the content of cancer markers in it, that is, to determine whether a malignant process is taking place in the body. It is known that its increase is associated with the menopause period in women, as well as with inflammation of the appendages in young girls. However, an increased level of CA-125 does not always indicate that the process of oncology has begun to develop in the body.
An ovarian cyst can also be detected by such a modern method as magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. The latter makes it possible to definitively determine the nature of the formation, to establish the size, structure and contents of the tumor.
Complications of ovarian cyst
Such a tumor-like formation as an ovarian cyst can have characteristic complications. Complications primarily depend on the very reason for which the formation of the cyst began. Basically, complications appear if the tumor-like formation begins to bleed, if the cyst ruptures or the ovary twists.
It is the torsion of the ovary that is one of the most dangerous consequences of the occurrence of a cyst. Ovarian torsion occurs when the leg of the ovary blocks the flow of blood to the ovary. At the same time, the organ experiences oxygen starvation, which is why its tissue begins to die. The consequence of ovarian torsion can be infertility. Another complication of an ovarian cyst may be a malignant tumor-like formation. In this case, a surgical method of removing the ovary is simply necessary.
Another serious complication caused by an ovarian cyst is a cyst rupture. This is a very common complication caused, as a rule, by a functional cyst. The formation of this type of cyst usually occurs in the right ovary on the 20-25 day of the menstrual cycle. The consequence of a cyst rupture is profuse internal bleeding. Cyst removal by laparoscopy is prescribed to the patient only when the symptoms of cyst rupture persist for 45-48 hours.
Treatment of ovarian cyst
The so-called conservative treatment of ovarian cysts is possible only when the course of the disease passes without complications. In other words, if there is no suppuration, there is no infertility and there is no capsule rupture. Such treatment involves the use of oral contraceptives, various vitamins (A, B1, B6, E, K), homeopathic medicines. A woman is prescribed a diet and physical therapy.
If conservative treatment does not give a positive result, then a surgical method of intervention is necessary. With this method, not only the removal of the cyst is carried out, but also its additional histological examination.
The most common method of surgical removal of a cyst is laparoscopy. The latter is possible only if the probability of developing a malignant tumor is completely excluded. The surgical method of treatment has the following varieties:
ovariectomy — removal of the ovary completely;
cystectomy is the removal of only the cyst, while the healthy tissue of the organ is preserved;
adnexectomy — removal of all appendages of the uterus;
a wedge—shaped type of organ resection is the removal of a cyst with significant loss of ovarian tissue;
a biopsy is a procedure performed when a doctor suspects a malignant tumor.
If an ovarian cyst gives a complication accompanied by bleeding and acute pain, a surgical method of intervention is necessary immediately.
Prognosis after ovarian cyst cure
It is necessary to know that after treatment, dermoid cysts never grow again, whereas cystadenomas can form, but very rarely. As for functional cysts, they can occur as long as the function of the ovary remains active. This type of education does not require any surgical treatment. Most often, the repeated process of formation is characteristic of endometrioid cysts. However, with proper treatment of the first cyst, the risk of repeated cyst formation is significantly reduced.
In any case, the prognosis remains comforting, it is only important to diagnose the disease in time.
