Surgical treatment of neonatal ovarian cysts

Medical experts are still at issue over the most suitable management of simple neonatal ovarian cysts exceeding 40mm and complex cysts of any size. The authors present surgical treatment of these cysts by classical laparotomy and laparoscopy. The study included 13 newborn babies surgically treated for 6 simple and 7 complex ovarian cysts. The diameter of the cysts ranged from 29 to 102mm. The age of children was from 2 days to 10 months. The open classical laparotomic approach was performed in 8 babies. In the laparotomy group, cystectomy was done in 3 infants with simple cysts. The other 5, presented with ovarian torsion, required salpingo-oophorectomy. Video-assisted cystectomy was the procedure for 3 simplex and one complex cyst with torsion. Laparoscopic adnexectomy was applied in one case with auto-amputated cyst. Our small study demonstrates that laparoscopy is as safe and effective as classical laparotomy in managing neonatal ovarian cysts, but with better cosmetic results.