Ovarian Cyst Treatment

What is a cyst in the ovary?

Ovarian cysts are usually fluid-filled sacs that form inside or on the surface of the ovary. These sacs may consist of the structure in which the egg develops and is expelled, the endometrium structure covering the inside of the uterus, or directly from the egg itself. The inside of ovarian cysts may be clear liquid, chocolate-like liquid, or filled with different tissues such as teeth, hair, bone, and fat. There are many different types of ovarian cysts. Depending on the type and size of the cyst, different symptoms occur and different treatment methods are applied.

What are the symptoms of Ovarian Cyst?

Since most ovarian cysts do not even cause symptoms, they are detected incidentally during examination. Cysts that do not cause any symptoms are usually periodic cysts that are very small or temporary and disappear on their own over time. If the cysts are large and tend to spread, then they cause significant symptoms. The most common symptoms of ovarian cysts are pain in the groin and abdomen, pain during menstrual period and intercourse, menstrual delay, menstrual irregularity and difficulty in getting pregnant. If the cyst is malignant, it will put pressure on the surrounding tissues and organs, causing conditions such as abdominal swelling, constipation, and frequent urination.

What are the Types of Ovarian Cysts?

• Follicle Cyst: The growing and developing egg cell must crack when the time comes. If cracking does not occur and the egg continues to grow, a follicle cyst forms. Follicle cysts, which are frequently encountered in young people, are 2-4 cm in size and are usually excreted during the menstrual period.
• Corpus Luteum Cyst: Corpus luteum is the structure in which the egg matures and is expelled. It consists of cells that can secrete the hormone progesterone. Normally, the egg must be broken down and thrown away during the menstrual period. When it is not expelled, fluid accumulates and corpus luteum cysts, measuring 3-5 cm in size, occur. Since corpus luteums are cysts that produce hormones, they can cause menstrual irregularities.
• Endometrioma: When the endometrium structure covering the uterus spills out into the ovaries, it forms a cyst there. Endometrioma cyst, which occurs with bleeding in the ovaries, is also known as chocolate cyst because the appearance of the fluid filling it resembles chocolate.
• Dermoid Cyst: A dermoid cyst usually occurs during the embryonic period as a result of a tissue that should not be present becoming a cyst within the ovary. Dermoid cysts contain tissues that should not normally be present, such as hair, teeth, bone and cartilage.
• Serous Cystadenoma: Serous cystadenomas are benign cysts filled with clear fluid and 5-15 cm in size. Although they are normally benign tumors, 30 percent of them turn into malignant cancers over time.
• Mucinous Cystadenoma: Mucinous cystadenomas, which are the largest cysts seen in the ovaries, can reach up to 30 cm in size. Mucinous cystadenomas constitute about 25 percent of benign cysts.

How to Diagnose Ovarian Cyst?

To the patient who complains of pain in the groin and abdomen, the doctor first performs a physical examination, applies pressure and performs manual control. Afterwards, the ovarian cyst is detected by ultrasound imaging. Various tests and, if necessary, MRI imaging are performed to diagnose the type of cyst detected and whether it is carcinogenic. Different tumor markers are important for different types of cysts. Ca-125 for serous tumors, Ca19-9 for mucinous tumors, and AFP and Beta HCG values for germ cell tumors are important cancer indicators. If the ovarian cyst is determined to be malignant, the degree of cancer is determined by imaging with MRI or CT to determine whether it has spread to other areas and which organs it is putting pressure on.

How to Treat Ovarian Cyst?

Many ovarian cysts do not cause any complaints and do not require treatment. Follicle cysts, cysts formed during pregnancy and functional cysts will disappear on their own, so no treatment is needed. Aggressive cysts and malignant tumors, such as chocolate cysts, require treatment. In the treatment of ovarian cysts, birth control medications may be recommended by the doctor to stop the cyst from growing. If the cyst continues to grow or occurs during menopause, it may require surgical intervention as it may turn into a malignant disease. If the cyst is not very large, laparoscopy, that is, closed surgery, is performed. When the cyst is large and malignant, an incision is made by laparotomy, that is, open surgery. If the cyst is malignant and has spread, it may be necessary to perform an oophorectomy and remove the entire ovaries.