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Functional ovarian cysts and the need to remove them
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hotel Dieu Hospital, 1 Place de l'Hospital, 61 quai Jules Courmont-69288, Lyon Cedex 02, France.
European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
|December 1, 2001
Summary
Surgical removal of functional ovarian cysts is often unnecessary, with many cases lacking justification. Yearly evaluation of surgical activity is recommended to limit removal rates to under 30%.
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Functional ovarian cysts are common and often resolve spontaneously.
- Surgical intervention for ovarian cysts requires careful consideration of indications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the necessity and justification for removing functional ovarian cysts.
- To evaluate current practices in managing ovarian cysts.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of functional ovarian cyst cases over a 5-year period (July 1994 - June 1999).
- Analysis of surgical indications for cyst removal.
Main Results:
- Thirty-four functional ovarian cysts (11.45%) were surgically removed.
- Surgical intervention was deemed justified in only 14 cases.
- In 32 cases, cysts were non-organic and removal was not indicated.
Conclusions:
- Reported functional ovarian cyst removal rates vary between 15-30%.
- Current diagnostic tools, like ultrasound-guided aspiration, cannot reliably differentiate functional from organic cysts in over 70% of cases.
- While a 0% removal rate is unachievable, limiting functional ovarian cyst removal to under 30% through annual activity assessment is a feasible goal.