Ovarian Cyst Surgery – Are You Sure It's The Best Option?
Ovarian cyst surgery is usually a last resort in the treatment of ovarian cysts
. With the right lifestyle changes, they shrink into nothingness within a menstrual cycle or two.
There is sometimes a bit of confusion regarding cysts and tumors. Tumors are an abnormal growth of solid tissue. By contrast, cysts are sacs that are formed in or on an organ of the body, which may contain air, fluid, semi-solid material, or any combination of the three. Tumors may be malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous), and the same is true of cysts. However, cysts are rarely malignant.
Ovarian cysts are very common in women during their fertile years. They may occur before the onset of menstruation or after menopause, but that is seldom the case. Usually, they happen during the years in between.
Ovarian cysts are nearly always benign-and if that is the case-ovarian cyst surgery is only needed when the cyst continues to grow rather than shrink, causes a significant amount of pain, twists the ovary, or causes bleeding.
Symptoms of an ovarian cysts, such as lower backache, painful sexual intercourse, bleeding at odd times of the month, having to urinate too much, having difficulty urinating, very painful periods, weight gain, nausea, or vomiting may require a visit to your doctor or gynecologist for an evaluation.
If you have a history of any female reproductive cancer in your family it is very important that your general practitioner and your gynecologist are aware of this at the start of your doctor-patient relationship. Whether they are or not, you should either inform them now, or remind them at this time.
If your doctor discovers a cyst, he or she will probably want to hold off on scheduling ovarian cyst surgery for a couple of months. This is to see if the problem will resolve itself in the usual way.
During this time, you can treat the symptoms with over the counter pain medication like acetaminophen, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen.
You may also apply heat to the abdomen in the form of a hot water bottle or heating pad, to reduce pain and swelling.
If the pain is too severe, your doctor may prescribe a stronger pain medication. This will not happen on a recurring basis, however. It is usually only given until ovarian cyst surgery can occur.
Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) have also been found to help prevent the formation of ovarian cysts and to help shrink them when they are already present.
If a few months pass and there is no improvement, the cyst has grown larger, or there is reason to suspect malignancy, the doctor will likely schedule ovarian cyst surgery.
There are generally two kinds of ovarian cyst surgery that are used. The one selected will depend on circumstances such as the size of the cyst and other factors, including but not necessarily a suspicion of cancer. If the cyst is small enough, and the doctor thinks it benign, he or she will usually opt for laparoscopic surgery to remove it.
There is less risk of secondary infections and a speedier recovery time with the laparoscopic method of ovarian cyst surgery. It requires only small incisions to be made. First to allow the laparoscope (a thin tube with a light and a camera attached to the end) to enter the body, and then once the exact location of the cyst is determined (on a monitor), a second and possibly a third small incision to allow removal.
If the cyst is too large, or the surgeon feels he or she may have to remove the ovary(s) and/or surrounding tissue-as with cancer-the surgeon will perform the traditional open method of ovarian cyst surgery, which involves a larger incision through the muscle wall and the opening of the abdominal cavity.
This is usually the last resort. Even though the prospect of surgery is frightening to most women, ovarian cyst surgery has been performed and perfected for many years, and will most often be fine, if it's decided that it's totally necessary.
Ovarian Cyst Surgery Are You Sure It's The Best Option?
By: Kathy Nealson
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