The term "ovarian cyst" refers to a neoplasm of a benign nature, formed directly in the tissues of the organ. It is a cavity filled with liquid. In some cases, a cyst on the ovary does not pose a he alth hazard, it goes away on its own without any intervention. If it does not disappear, the doctor draws up an individual treatment regimen, which may include both conservative and surgical methods.
Development mechanism
The ovary is a female paired organ. Its main task is to perform reproductive and hormonal functions. The right or left ovary releases eggs every month, no larger than a walnut. This process is the beginning of a new menstrual cycle.
All eggs are enclosed in follicles. The process of maturation of the latter occurs until the uterus isready for fertilization. Follicular growth is provided by the female sex hormone - estrogen. This cycle is repeated monthly. As a rule, as a result of its completion, the egg remains unfertilized. In this case, the process of exiting the contents of the uterus starts, that is, menstruation begins.
There are a small number of cysts in each ovary. During ovulation, one or two follicles burst. The rest continue to grow, but over time their size decreases. After a few cycles, the cysts disappear on their own without any treatment. It also happens that the follicles accumulate fluid in themselves, increasing in size. In this case, we are talking about pathology.
Types of neoplasms
If a follicle that accumulates fluid over time decreases in size on its own and disappears on its own, it is customary to talk about a functional ovarian cyst. This process is physiological and does not pose a threat to he alth. To prevent complications (such as torsion), women with persistent functional ovarian cysts are advised to have regular ultrasound scans. Treatment in such cases is rarely prescribed.
In addition, there are the following types of neoplasms:
- Cyst of the corpus luteum. It appears after ovulation. The neoplasm is localized only on one ovary. In this case, the corpus luteum can be filled with fluid, less often with blood.
- Hemorrhagic cyst. Its formation occurs against the background of hemorrhage into the neoplasm.
- Dermoid cyst. It can reach 15 cm in diameter. This cyst on the ovary can be filled with various types of tissue: adipose, connective, nervous, cartilage, bone. In most cases, it is localized on the right side. Its feature is a high risk of developing all kinds of complications - rupture, torsion, inflammation. In addition, the dermoid cyst of the right ovary can transform into a cancerous tumor. According to statistics, such a complication is diagnosed in 3% of patients.
- Endometrioid ovarian cyst. Its formation comes from the tissues of the inner mucous membrane of the uterus. A similar neoplasm is most often detected in women with endometriosis. The size of the cyst can vary from 2 to 20 cm. Its contents are usually represented by the remnants of blood secreted during menstruation.
- Polycystic ovary. The organ increases in size, and on its outer side, multiple small formations are formed.
- Cystic adenoma. It is characterized by large sizes, can reach 30 cm. It is formed from the tissue of the ovary.
- Paraovarian cyst. This is a neoplasm that is formed due to the appendage, which is located above the ovary. The contents of its cavity is represented by a transparent liquid.
- Mucinous cyst. A large neoplasm, divided into several chambers containing mucus. A feature of a cyst is its ability to degenerate into a cancerous tumor.
Thus, not all neoplasms are harmless. To avoid the development of serious complications, it is necessarysee a doctor at the first warning signs.
Reasons
Currently, the exact nature of the occurrence of ovarian cysts is unknown. Nevertheless, it has been proven that the development of the pathological process is triggered by certain provoking factors.
Indirect causes of the formation of neoplasms are the following diseases and conditions:
- Surgical intervention in the organs of the reproductive system. According to statistics, in a third of patients after artificial termination of pregnancy, a cyst is found on the ovary.
- Inflammatory processes occurring in the genitals. They are one of the main reasons. An ovarian cyst, as a rule, is formed against the background of STDs, chronic pathologies, endometriosis, etc.
- First appearance of menstruation at an early age (before 11 years).
- Hormonal disorders. Due to the resulting imbalance, an ovarian cyst is often diagnosed during pregnancy.
- No ovulation process.
- Irregular menstrual cycle.
- Infertility.
- Ovarian dysfunction.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Overweight.
In addition, a cyst on the ovary can form when taking certain medicines intended for the treatment of breast cancer.
Symptoms
Many patients do not have any signs of a pathological condition. In this regard, often the disease is detected randomly during the examination,assigned for another reason. Alarming symptoms usually occur when the cyst becomes large.
Signs of the disease are the following conditions:
- Painful sensations. The degree of their severity directly depends on the size of the neoplasm. The nature of the pain in most cases is dull. It is localized mainly in the lower abdomen. If a woman has a cyst of the right ovary, the pain is felt only on this side. Its intensity increases with physical exertion and sexual intercourse. The highest degree of pain is observed in the development of complications - rupture or torsion of the cyst. In this case, the woman also observed: fever, nausea and vomiting. In some cases, there is no pain at all. In such cases, patients complain of a feeling of pressure in the pelvis and a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen.
- Frequent urge to urinate, pain when urine comes out. The occurrence of these symptoms is due to the compression of blood vessels and organs by the cyst. Neoplasm (mostly large) can also lead to constipation and the appearance of a false urge to commit an act of defecation. This is due to the pressure of the cyst on the area in which the lower intestines are located.
- Irregular menstruation. Menstruation is profuse, they are accompanied by severe painful sensations. The danger lies in the fact that they are easily confused with uterine bleeding, which also serves as a sign indicating the presence of a cyst. It also happens that in women, on the contrary, there isamenorrhea, that is, the complete absence of menstruation.
- Hirsutism. This term refers to the excessive secretion of male sex hormones. Against the background of this process, the woman's voice becomes rough, hair begins to grow intensively on her body.
- Increase in the abdomen, its asymmetry. This symptom occurs if the cyst has reached a huge size. In such situations, there is an increase in the circumference of the abdomen.
In addition, the following signs are alarming:
- high body temperature;
- pallor of the skin;
- dizziness;
- strong weakness;
- expressed pain in the abdomen;
- deviation of blood pressure up or down;
- thirst hard to quench;
- drastic weight loss for no apparent reason.
If you feel unwell, you should immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance.
Diagnosis
If you experience anxiety symptoms, you need to make an appointment with a gynecologist. The doctor will conduct an initial diagnosis, which consists in questioning and examining the patient.
The following tests may also be ordered for an accurate diagnosis:
- Ultrasound (transvaginal). With it, it is possible to detect any kind of cysts.
- CT, NMR. They allow to identify the features of the neoplasm, which is impossible during ultrasound.
- Laparoscopy. The method is not onlydiagnostic. During the examination, it is even possible to remove the cyst.
- Blood test for oncomarker SAN-125. Allows you to find out the nature of the disease (benign or malignant).
- Pregnancy test. An ovarian cyst during gestation requires a different approach to treatment. In addition, it is important to exclude or confirm the presence of an ectopic pregnancy. This is due to the fact that the development of pathology is accompanied by the same symptoms as the formation of a cyst.
It is extremely rare for a doctor to prescribe a puncture from the Douglas pocket. This is the area located on the posterior fornix of the vagina. The appointment of a study is advisable only if bleeding or rupture of the cyst is suspected.
Conservative treatments
If it is a functional neoplasm, no therapy is required. It is enough to visit a doctor periodically for the purpose of control and prevention. Treatment of an ovarian cyst is required if it does not disappear on its own.
Doctors always initially try to save patients from the disease by conservative methods. But in some cases, it is impossible to cure an ovarian cyst without surgery.
Contraindications for drug therapy:
- age over 45;
- large tumor size;
- impossibility to accurately determine the nature of its occurrence;
- suspicion of oncology.
Conservative treatment of ovarian cysts means taking the following drugs:
- Hormone containing. As a rule, the doctor prescribes oral contraceptives that promotenormalization of the menstrual cycle.
- Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. The task of taking these funds is to eliminate the infection of a chronic nature. In addition, the negative impact on the functioning of the appendages is excluded.
Physiotherapy procedures have shown high efficiency in the treatment of pathology. But they are always prescribed at the same time as taking medications and only if the presence of oncology is excluded.
Surgical treatment
Surgical intervention is indicated when conservative methods are ineffective. Currently, the most widely used laparoscopy to get rid of ovarian cysts. The operation is minimally invasive - all manipulations are performed through small punctures (no more than 1 cm in diameter) in the abdominal cavity. The surgeon inserts endoscopic instruments into them, and the doctor monitors the process of intervention using a monitor, images to which are transmitted by a miniature camera.
After the removal of the ovarian cyst by laparoscopic method, the patients start their daily activities in 1-2 days. In some cases, a woman may leave the hospital after a few hours.
Despite the minimally invasive procedure, certain guidelines must be followed after laparoscopy of an ovarian cyst:
- reduce the intensity of physical activity;
- pay due attention to hygiene procedures to prevent festering wounds;
- do not lift heavy objects;
- do not usehard-to-digest foods and alcoholic beverages for 2 weeks.
If you experience severe pain, you should consult a doctor.
Complications
Judging by medical reviews, an ovarian cyst, detected in a timely manner, rarely poses a threat to he alth. With untimely treatment, the presence of a neoplasm can lead to the following negative consequences:
- Oncological diseases. Of particular danger are certain types of cysts that easily degenerate into a malignant tumor.
- Twisting legs of neoplasm. Against the background of this condition, the process of blood circulation in the cyst is disrupted, which entails the development of necrosis in its tissues. In addition, peritonitis occurs. Torsion of the leg through the intestinal loops can provoke its obstruction.
- Rupture of the cyst. In this case, the symptoms are similar to those of acute appendicitis. If an ovarian cyst has burst, peritonitis may also develop. In addition, the contents of a pathological neoplasm can lead to blood poisoning, which is life-threatening.
- Infertility. It develops in most cases when the disease is ignored.
In order to prevent the possibility of serious complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor at the first alarming symptoms.
Forecast
A neoplasm detected in time rarely poses a threat to a woman's he alth. In addition, compared with emergency surgery, elective surgerytreatment does not entail severe injury to the follicular apparatus. With timely access to a specialist, the prognosis is favorable. If the problem is ignored, all sorts of complications develop very quickly.
In conclusion
An ovarian cyst is a benign neoplasm formed from the tissues of an organ. In some cases, it disappears on its own without any intervention. If this does not happen, the doctor draws up a treatment regimen. If it is ineffective, the question of the advisability of surgical intervention is resolved.
