General Medical Information

Management of Premenarcheal Ovarian Cysts

Andrew S. Cook

Thind performed a retrospective study of 64 girls who were diagnosed with an ovarian cyst or tumor. Twenty-eight of these patients were managed surgically, 27 of which were benign and half were functional cysts. Fifty of the patients presented with pain or a palpable abdominal mass. The majority of these cysts were managed conservatively and resolved over a 6- to 8-week period. Management of ovarian cysts in premenarcheal girls is virtually the same as management of ovarian cysts in the adult female. Sonographic findings that are suggestive of a malignancy or a cyst, which does not begin to resolve in 6 to 8 weeks, should be explored surgically. In addition, one must be aware that, in the pediatric population, an ovarian cyst more commonly results in torsion than in the adult or may cause ureteric compression with resulting hydronephrosis and persistent pyrexia may be confused with an undiagnosed appendiceal abscess.