Ovarian cyst surgery in Goa: when a cyst needs an operation
Most ovarian cysts are harmless fluid-filled sacs that go away on their own within one or two cycles and need only a repeat scan. Ovarian cyst surgery in Goa at Pai Hospital, Vasco-da-Gama, is kept for a cyst that stays, grows, looks complex or causes pain, and is usually keyhole surgery that keeps the healthy ovary.
What is an ovarian cyst?
An ovarian cyst is a sac filled with fluid or other material, on or in an ovary. The most common kind forms during the normal monthly cycle: each month a small sac called a follicle grows in the ovary to hold an egg, and it either releases the egg or, sometimes, carries on growing and fills with fluid. These functional cysts are very common, are not a disease, and usually disappear by themselves.
What other kinds of cyst are there?
- Endometrioma (a "chocolate cyst"). A cyst filled with old blood, caused by endometriosis. It can cause painful periods and can affect fertility. Read about endometriosis treatment in Goa.
- Dermoid cyst. A cyst that can contain tissue such as hair or fat. It does not go away on its own, and is usually removed.
- Cystadenoma. A cyst that grows from the surface of the ovary and can become large.
Polycystic ovaries in PCOS are different: they have many small follicles, not true cysts, and they are not treated by removing cysts. Read about PCOS treatment in Goa.
Ovarian cyst symptoms
Many cysts cause no symptoms at all and are found on a scan done for another reason. When there are symptoms, they can include:
- a dull ache or heaviness on one side of the lower tummy;
- pain during intercourse;
- a change in the periods;
- bloating, or a feeling of fullness;
- passing urine more often, when a large cyst presses on the bladder.
When is an ovarian cyst an emergency?
Sudden, severe pain in the lower tummy, often with vomiting, can mean that a cyst has twisted the ovary (torsion) or has burst. This needs urgent care: come to the hospital straight away, or go to the nearest hospital. A twisted ovary can lose its blood supply, so it is treated as an emergency operation, usually by keyhole surgery. Pai Hospital is open 24 hours for pregnancy and gynaecology emergencies.
How is an ovarian cyst checked?
An ultrasound scan shows the size of the cyst and what it looks like inside. A simple cyst is usually checked again on a repeat scan after one or two cycles, to see whether it has gone. Depending on your age and the scan, a blood test may be advised to help judge the cyst. Most ovarian cysts are not cancer; when a scan shows features that need a closer look, the doctor explains the next steps.
When does an ovarian cyst need surgery?
- it does not go away after one or two repeat scans;
- it is large, or it is growing;
- it looks complex on the scan, or it is a dermoid cyst or an endometrioma that is causing trouble;
- it causes pain;
- it has twisted or burst.
Small, simple cysts with no symptoms usually need no operation, only watching.
Laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy: how is the cyst removed?
The operation is called a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy. Under anaesthesia, a thin camera and fine instruments go in through two or three small cuts, each under a centimetre. The cyst is carefully separated from the ovary and removed, and the healthy ovarian tissue is kept wherever possible, so that the ovary can go on working. The cyst is sent for testing.
Only in some cases, for example when a cyst has replaced most of the ovary, or in some women after the menopause, is the whole ovary removed, and that is discussed with you before the operation. Read more about laparoscopic surgery in Goa.
Will removing a cyst affect a future pregnancy?
The operation keeps the healthy part of the ovary wherever possible. Removing an endometrioma can lower the ovary's egg reserve, so for a woman who wants a pregnancy, the need for surgery and its timing are planned carefully, sometimes together with fertility tests such as AMH. Read what a low AMH means. Your doctor explains what the operation means for you before you decide.
Ovarian cyst removal recovery
Most laparoscopic gynaecological operations at Pai Hospital are a one- or two-night stay, sometimes day-care depending on the operation. Expect some shoulder-tip discomfort for a day or two, from the gas used during keyhole surgery, and mild soreness around the small cuts. Most women are back to light activity within a week or two. Read about keyhole surgery recovery time.
What does ovarian cyst surgery cost?
The fee depends on the operation and the length of the stay, and is explained at the consultation, before the surgery is planned.
Who does the operation?
This guide is by the Pai Hospital Team. Ovarian cyst surgery in Goa at Pai Hospital is done at the hospital in Vaddem, Vasco-da-Gama, by our consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist (MBBS, MS OBG), in the hospital's own operation theatre, where complex gynaecological surgeries are also done. Call or WhatsApp us, and send your scan reports.
Your questions
Do all ovarian cysts need surgery?
No. Most are functional cysts that go away by themselves within one or two cycles. Surgery is kept for cysts that stay, grow, look complex on the scan or cause pain, and for emergencies.
Is an ovarian cyst cancer?
Most ovarian cysts are not cancer. When a scan shows features that need a closer look, the doctor explains the next steps, which may include a blood test or removal of the cyst.
Will I lose my ovary if a cyst is removed?
A laparoscopic cystectomy removes the cyst and keeps the healthy ovarian tissue wherever possible. The whole ovary is removed only in some cases, and that is discussed with you before the operation.
What kind of pain means I should go to hospital?
Sudden, severe pain in the lower tummy, especially with vomiting, fever or feeling faint, can mean a cyst has twisted or burst. Come to the hospital straight away, or go to the nearest hospital.
How long is the hospital stay after keyhole cyst removal?
Most laparoscopic operations here are a one- or two-night stay, sometimes day-care. Most women are back to light activity within a week or two.
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This page is for general education and is not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your own examination and reports, so please speak to a doctor about your situation. We do not carry out or offer sex determination of any kind.