Laparoscopy - the Gold Standard for Cyst Treatment

Information

How often should we have a preventive gynecological examination?

Prevention is important for early diagnosis and more effective treatment of a number of diseases. Preventive gynecological examinations should be undergone by all age groups of sexually active women, at least once a year.

They should include clinical examination, ultrasound, Pap smear, vaginal discharge testing. When needed, colposcopy, hormonal tests, etc. Of course, all girls and women who have any complaints, regardless of age, should visit a gynecologist.

What types of cysts are there and what are the causes of their occurrence?

The diagnosis and therapeutic approach for cysts depend significantly on the patient's age, clinical complaints, ultrasound appearance, and the values of specific laboratory tests. At a young age, patients are found with irregular or absent menstrual cycles, male-pattern hair growth, skin changes, and a characteristic ultrasound appearance of the ovaries. These symptoms are most often associated with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Another common variety is follicular cysts, resulting from a failed ovulation.

Corpus luteum cysts are a third type of cyst, in which the corpus luteum, formed after ovulation, does not regress.

Dermoid cysts are discovered incidentally during a preventive examination, usually without significant complaints. They develop from embryonic tissues and, due to their higher oncological potential, must be operated on.

Endometriotic (chocolate) cysts are also increasingly found. In recent years, endometriosis has become a dominant disease leading to infertility and persistent pain that does not respond to conservative treatment. In fact, ovarian tumors, or as they are better known - cysts, can be of at least 10 more types.

Can an ovarian cyst turn into cancer?

Such a risk exists, especially with prolonged "monitoring" of cysts. Ovarian carcinoma usually affects women over 40 years of age, but unfortunately it is increasingly seen in younger women as well. The modern standard is to monitor an ovarian cyst for 3-4 months, and if it does not disappear, to intervene.

What are the treatment methods for a cyst?

Treatment is usually conservative, with hormonal medications, for a period of 3 months. This does not apply to endometriotic, dermoid cysts, or cysts suspicious for malignancy. Cysts larger than 3-4 cm that do not respond to hormonal treatment, however, must be surgically removed.

Modern medical standards call for laparoscopic surgeries. They are proven to be effective, with painless postoperative recovery and minimal risk of complications leading to reproductive problems among a large proportion of young women.

Laparoscopic surgery is also the gold standard for endometriosis. Endometriosis causes adhesions and in about 50% of cases leads to infertility.

Why choose laparoscopic (bloodless) surgery instead of standard (open) surgery?

Laparoscopic operations are performed through several small openings in the abdominal wall using special instruments, with an optical device connected to a camera inserted through one of these openings, allowing the operators to monitor the course of the operation in detail on a screen.

The advantages are undeniable: blood loss and tissue trauma are minimal, recovery is fast, and the risk of inflammatory complications and postoperative adhesions in the abdominal cavity is minimized - an important indicator for preserving fertility.

What are the advantages of hysteroscopic surgeries?

Hysteroscopy can be both a diagnostic and a surgical treatment method, with access through the woman's vagina. Besides being the most gentle, this approach is also the most informative for diseases or abnormalities inside the uterus (myoma nodules, endometrial polyps, adhesions, septa, etc.). Easy access and the ability to transition from diagnostic to surgical activity is a great advantage.

What operations via endoscopic access do you perform at MBAL VITA?

At MBAL VITA we perform laparoscopic operations for infertility, endometriosis, fibroids, cysts, as well as laparoscopic hysterectomies. Diagnostic and surgical hysteroscopies for infertility, endometrial polyps, myoma nodules, septa, etc. Of course, besides endoscopic methods, Hospital VITA also offers conventional treatment methods for a number of gynecological diseases.