Conditions

Ovarian Cyst Treatment

Dr Brooke O’Brien specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of complications from ovarian cysts.

Ovarian Cysts

Overview

Ovarian cysts are a fluid-filled or solid sacs that develop in or on the ovary.

Ovarian cysts can occur commonly in women of all ages. Some women with ovarian cysts have pain or pelvic pressure. In women that have had no symptoms at all they may have been found unexpectedly on imaging or an ultrasound.

Read below for more details on what treatments can be provided to you;

Symptoms

Ovarian Cyst Symptoms

As explained your Ovarian Cysts can be either, symptomatic or asymptomatic (not showing any symptoms).

If you do have symptoms with your cysts you may typically experience pain or pressure in the lower abdomen on the side of the cyst. This pain may be dull or sharp and it may be constant or it could come and go. If you have crampy lower abdominal pain this is not usually related to ovarian cysts.

Sometimes and ovarian cyst can rupture, which can cause sudden and sharp pain, which could be quite severe. Another symptom could be that your ovarian cyst could tort (twist) which will cause pain along with nausea and vomiting.

Causes of Ovarian Cyst

There are many reasons why a women would have ovarian cysts and it would depend on whether you are still getting your periods or if you have stopped and are post menopausal.

For pre-menopausal women (still having periods), the most common causes of ovarian cysts include;

Ovulation - "functional" ovarian cysts develop during the process of ovulating or releasing eggs during the cycle. These type of cysts usually resolve without treatment.
Dermoid Cysts (teratomas) - are one of the most common types of cysts found in women between age 20 and 40 years. A dermoid cyst is made up of ovarian germ cells and can contain teeth, hair or fat! Most dermoid cysts are benign, but rarely are they cancerous.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - If you have PCOS then you will know you have many small cysts. These cysts do not need to be removed or treated with medication, however you may need treatment for other PCOS problems such as irregular menstrual periods.
Endometriosis - This can develop a type of ovarian cyst called an Endometrioma.
Pregnancy - An ovarian cyst can normally develop in early pregnancy, to help support the pregnancy until the placenta forms.
Severe Pelvic Infections - This may spread to involve the ovaries and fallopian tubes. As a result, pus-filled cysts form close to the ovaries and/or fallopian tubes.
Cancer - This is a relatively uncommon cause of ovarian cysts in pre-menopausal women, in fact, less than 1% of new growths on or near the ovary are related to ovarian cancer.

If you have ceased having your periods and are post-menopausal, the most common causes of ovarian cysts include benign or cancerous cysts. New growths on or around the ovary are somewhat more likely to be caused by cancer than in premenopausal women.

Diagnosis of Ovarian Cyst

Diagnosis

Ovarian cysts can sometimes be detected during an examination, although a Pelvic Ultrasound is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Further imaging such as a CT or an MRI are sometimes ordered. All these investigations will tell us the size, location and any other important characteristics.

Depending on the type of cyst you may have, we would also look at ordering blood tests which would also help in determining the nature of the cyst.

Treatment

Options for Treatment of Ovarian Cysts

Management of ovarian cysts can involve either monitoring with watchful waiting, or surgery.

Non-surgical options;

Ovarian cysts do not always require treatment. In pre-menopausal women, ovarian cysts often resolve on their own within 1-2 months, without treatment.
If a decision is made to monitor your cysts, a repeat pelvic ultrasound would usually be recommended in 6-12 weeks. If it does resolve, no further testing or follow-up may be required.
If a cyst is large and causing you pain or appears suspicious for abnormality, treatment would usually involve surgery to remove the cyst or your entire ovary.

Surgical Option;

If surgery is required, we will arrange for this to be performed under general anaesthesia in hospital.
Most ovarian cysts are removed laparoscopically. If you are pre-menopausal and the cyst doesn't appear to be cancerous, a cystectomy would usually be performed. This process only removes the cyst and not the entire ovary.
If there is a suspicion of cancer, or the cyst is very large in size or in post-menopausal women, then usually the whole ovary would be removed. (If you are still fertile, having one ovary removed will not cause you to go through menopause and will not cause you to be infertile).

Women's Health Clinic - Brisbane Northside

Dr Brooke O'Brien will go through all of your results with you in great detail. Plenty of time will be made to discuss all your options.
To find out more about the services we offer or to book an appointment, contact us today for a confidential discussion.

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At Nurture Gynaecology, Dr Brooke O’Brien and her women's health team value every single patient. Our practice is located in Everton Park, on the northside of Brisbane.

Contact us today to book your gynaecologist appointment with Dr Brooke O’Brien.