A modified technique to reduce spillage and the operative time in laparoscopic dermoid cyst excision

To determine whether controlled drilling, cyst excision, and removal in a bag can reduce the operative time and intraperitoneal spillage in dermoid cysts.

Laparoscopic dermoid cyst excision was performed in 45 women using a different technique: controlled drilling of dermoid cysts in a bag, excision of these cysts, and their removal in the same bag.

The median age of the patients was 29.5 years (range, 18-42 years), the median size of the cysts was 55 mm (range, 30-100 mm), the median operative time was 40 minutes (range, 25-60 minutes), the median level of cancer antigen 19-9 was 28.5 U/mL (range, 1.2-127 U/mL), the median parity was 1 (range, 0-3), and the median hospitalization time was 1 day (range, 1-2 days). Twenty-five cysts were in the right ovary, and 20 were in the left ovary. In all cases, the dermoid cysts were ruptured with the controlled drilling. There was no intraperitoneal spillage of the cyst contents in the abdomen. No complication occurred intraoperatively or postoperatively. There was no recurrence 3 months after the operation.

Controlled drilling, excision, and removal of a dermoid cyst inside the same bag seems to be a feasible method to prevent intraperitoneal spillage and to reduce the operative time.