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Foetal and neonatal ovarian cysts: a 5-year experience
Nicola Zampieri1, Franco Borruto, Carla Zamboni
1Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B.Rossi, Piazzale Scuro n. 1, 37134, Verona, Italy. dr.zampieri@libero.it
Insights
Prenatal diagnosis of fetal abdominal cysts using ultrasound is common. Laparoscopy is effective for treating simple cysts, while MRI offers limited diagnostic value in pediatric cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Fetal Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Abdominal cystic formations are common in newborns, often detected prenatally via ultrasound.
- Prenatal diagnosis presents challenges in identifying the exact nature of fetal abdominal cysts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight challenges in prenatal diagnosis of abdominal cysts.
- To outline appropriate therapeutic approaches for suspected ovarian cysts.
Main Methods:
- Study included 57 women with prenatal ultrasound findings of fetal abdominal cysts (2003-2007).
- Postnatal evaluation involved blood tests, abdominal ultrasound, and MRI with sedation if needed.
- Laparoscopic surgery was performed when radiological tests were inconclusive.
Main Results:
- Ultrasound identified cyst diameter but not always origin.
- MRI confirmed cyst morphology and volume but lacked detail on origin.
- Abdominal ultrasound and laparoscopy were effective for simple cyst management.
Conclusions:
- Abdominal ultrasound and laparoscopy are valuable for monitoring and treating simple abdominal cysts.
- MRI's utility is limited in pediatric abdominal cyst diagnosis, especially when sedation is required.
Background:
Abdominal cystic formations in newborns are relatively common and often diagnostic suspicion arises in this regard even before birth as a result of ultrasound scans carried out during pregnancy. The aim of this study is to highlight the problems posed by the prenatal diagnosis of abdominal cysts in order to outline the most appropriate therapeutic approach in case of suspected ovarian cysts.
Materials And Methods:
Between January 2003 and January 2007, 57 women were enrolled in this study for a prenatal ultrasound (US) that revealed the presence of an echo-rare or echo-free area in the foetal abdomen. After birth all babies underwent blood tests and abdominal US scans in order to confirm or identify the nature of the cyst. If abdominal US could not show the nature of the cystic formation, magnetic resonance imaging with sedation was performed. When the radiological tests were not useful to identify the nature of the cysts and surgery was then necessary, surgical procedures were performed with laparoscopy.
Results:
Ultrasounds were useful to identify the diameter of the cysts but not all their origins; also MRI confirmed the morphology and volume of the cysts, but could not give further details about their origin.
Discussion:
Abdominal ultrasound and finally laparoscopy used to treat and remove the cysts were useful to monitor all simple abdominal cysts. MRI seemed not to be useful for the treatment of this condition, especially in the pediatric age when mild sedation is required.
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