Questions to Ask a Doctor About Ovarian Cyst Removal

The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system, found in the lower abdomen. Connected by fallopian tubes to the uterus, the ovaries are egg-producing glands in the female. Cysts found on the ovary may require removal, but most women have a multitude of questions regarding such treatment. Understanding the basics of ovarian cyst removal may help remove some of the fear experienced by women who are facing the treatment.

Is it Benign or Malignant?

• A cyst can be harmless or dangerous, depending on what kind it is. A benign cyst is not dangerous, and is relatively common in women. Some women develop cysts that disappear over the course of two or three periods, while others experience cysts that may grow and cause pain in the abdomen. Your doctor will need to take a sample of the cyst to determine whether it's malignant (cancerous) or harmless.

What Type of Procedure is Involved?

• Two common procedures for cyst removal are currently used. One is a laparoscopic approach, which involves the use of a long, thin tube with a camera attached to one end. The laparoscope is able to view the exact location and size of the cyst through a small incision normally made beneath the navel, which enables the surgeon to remove it with the least amount of tissue damage possible. The other technique involves what is called open abdominal surgery, in which a larger incision is made in the lower abdomen, through all skin and muscle tissue layers, to expose the ovary.

What Are Ovarian Cysts, Anyway?

• Six different types of cysts are often found on the ovaries. They include follicle cysts, which more often than not go away by themselves; follicle cysts occur when egg sacs don't break open to release the egg. There is also the corpus luteum cyst, which forms when fluid builds up inside an intact sac. An endometriomas is a cyst that often occurs in women who experience the growth of uterine-type tissue outside the uterus. Cystadenomas are ovarian cysts that form on the outside surface of the ovary, and dermoid cysts are those that contain skin-tissue type attributes, like hair or "teeth." The last type of ovarian cyst is called a polycystic ovary, which is caused by eggs that don't mature within egg sacs, creating repeated growth within the cyst.