Laparoscopic surgery of dermoid cysts--intraoperative spillage and complications

To assess the risks of complications including intraoperative spillage following laparoscopic dermoid cyst enucleation.

A retrospective case series comparison of 390 patients who had surgery at our hospital from 1992 to 1998 for teratomas of the ovary.

43 patients were treated with laparotomy. Two malignant teratomas were observed in this group. In seven patients, the dermoid cysts were removed as part of a vaginal hysterectomy. Three hundred and forty patients had surgery via laparoscopy. Enucleation of the dermoid cyst in toto using a salvage bag for removal was only possible in few cases without contamination of the abdominal cavity by spillage of cyst contents. There were no serious complications in any patients including those with laparoscopic cystectomies and intraperitoneal spill.

The laparoscopic treatment of benign teratomas is a safe procedure. Primary laparotomy as well as adenectomy is also to be taken into consideration with young patients, if suspicion of malignancy, rapid growth, doubtful infiltration or large size of tumor is present.