Ovarian Cyst Daily

In order to diagnose an ovarian cyst to determine if it’s cancerous, your doctor might recommend doing 1 of 2 types of ovarian cyst surgery.

1. Laparoscopy

Also referred to as minimally invasive surgery (MIS), or bandaid surgery, this operation is done in the abdomen through small incisions (about 0.5 – 1.5 cm) within the abdominal or pelvic cavity. Your doctor will either use a telescopic rod lens system (that is connected to a video camera) or a digital laparoscope where the device is placed at the end of the laparoscope, eliminating the rod lens system. The abdomen is usually pumped with carbon dioxide gas (which is normal and can be absorbed and removed by the respiratory system) to create a space where the doctor can better work and see.

There are a number of advantages to with laparoscopic surgery, and they include:
• A reduced instance of haemorrhaging , which also reduces the chance of needing a blood transfusion.
• A smaller incision, which reduces considerable pain (and also lessens the need for medication) and shortens the recovery time.
• A higher chance of being discharged the same day if there are no complications
• Internal organs are less exposed to external contaminants which reduces the risk of infections.

Laparoscopic surgery also brings with it some risks, and they include:
• Injuries to either blood vessels or small/large bowel for patients who are obese or have a history of prior abdominal surgery.
• Some patients have experienced electrical burns as a result of surgeons working with electrodes that leak electricity into the surrounding tissue.
• There may be an increased risk of hypothermia when the abdomen is pumped with carbon dioxide gases. However, the use of heated and humidified CO2 may reduce this risk.

2. Laparotomy

A laparotomy is a surgical method where an incision is made through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. This is a frequent tool used in diagnosing an unknown condition like ovarian cysts where a patient has abdominal pain or sustained an injury to the abdomen. The most common incision is called the midline incision and is the most common type of incision because it allows a wider access to most of the abdominal cavity.

The risks associated with this procedure include:
• The general use of anesthesia like nausea, sore throat, vomiting, fatigue, headache, and soreness in the muscles.
• Bleeding, infection, injury to the abdominal organs , or the development of adhesions.