Friday, September 19, 2008

Ovarian Cyst Removal Overview

By Jay Tyler


Ovarian cyst removal is usually recommended when cysts are large, solid, shaped in irregular forms, suspected of being cancerous, twisted, ruptured, or causing severe pain. Older patients with ovarian cysts are more likely to need to have them removed since the likelihood of having a cancerous cyst increases with age.

Before removing an ovarian cyst, a physician will typically conduct a comprehensive physical exam with the patient. Along with the exam, they will also review the medications a patient is taking and order urine and blood tests. A CT scan and abdominal x-ray may also be conducted to confirm the presence of an ovarian cyst before surgical removal.

The type of surgery used during ovarian cyst removal depends on the type and size of the cyst to be taking out. Laparoscopic surgery is preferred, but open surgery is generally used for the removal of larger cysts.

In laparoscopic surgery, a slim tube called a laparoscope is introduced into the patient's body by making a small incision in the lower abdomen. It is very helpful in locating the ovarian cyst as well as to guide its removal.

When larger ovarian cyst removal surgery is required, general anesthesia might be used. Pain in the abdomen will generally be experienced after the surgery as well as possible complications such as bleeding and infection. Also, once removed there is a possibility that you will experience ovarian cysts in the future and in a few rare cases, blood clots and even infertility may happen.

Where a surgeon finds no sign of ovarian cancer during the procedure, it is not anticipated that the patient will experience complications. The patient should be fully recovered within several weeks. That said, if the doctors do find ovarian cancer, it may be necessary to remove either one or both ovaries while the surgery is going on or in a later surgical procedure. This would need to be combined with a treatment for ovarian cancer.

Once the Ovarian cyst has been removed you will need to keep in touch with your doctor and let him know if you begin experiencing any symptoms such as abdominal swelling, vomiting, nausea, fever and chills, shortness of breath, excessive pain or bleeding. Ovarian cyst removal is like any other surgery, proper recovery time and monitoring for possible complications is all that is required afterwards.

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