Laparoscopic Ovarian Cystectomy (Ovarian Cyst Removal)

Plenty of women first hear about an ovarian cyst by accident, on a scan done for something else. Others find out because of a dull ache on one side, pain during sex, or a sudden sharp pain that sends them to emergency. Most cysts are harmless, and many disappear by themselves within two or three cycles. The ones that don't are the ones we think about removing.

In a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy, the surgeon works through three small cuts in the abdomen using a thin camera. A small opening is made on the surface of the ovary and the cyst wall is peeled away from the healthy tissue around it. The cyst is placed in a bag, taken out through one of the cuts and sent to the lab for examination.

The aim is to keep as much healthy ovary as possible, since it holds your eggs and makes your hormones. Most women are back to normal life within one to two weeks. The cyst that was removed won't come back, although new ones can form, particularly with endometriosis.

At Prakash Hospital, ovarian cysts are diagnosed with in-house pelvic ultrasound and treated with medicines or keyhole surgery by our gynaecology department, which has dedicated laparoscopy suites. We'll only suggest an operation if a cyst is unlikely to settle on its own or is causing you problems.

A simple fluid-filled cyst in a younger woman usually just needs a repeat scan after 6 to 12 weeks. Surgery comes in when a cyst persists, grows, causes symptoms or has features that need a closer look.