Do Ovarian Cysts Require Surgery?

You could have an ovarian cyst right now and not even know it. These little fluid-filled sacs aren’t uncommon — in fact, most women will get at least one at some point during their life. When they’re small, they’re usually asymptomatic and disappear without causing any trouble.

When they do trigger symptoms, it’s time to get a professional evaluation to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other potential culprits. Dr. Khashayar Shakiba at Women’s Pelvic Surgery of North Jersey in Hackensack, New Jersey specializes in women’s health and has extensive experience treating ovarian cysts. Here’s what you need to know.

Different types of ovarian cysts

Cysts are simply pockets of fluid, air, or soft-solid material, and they can develop anywhere on your body internally or externally. Some say cysts resemble blisters. Several types of cysts can occur inside your ovaries, including:

• Dermoid cysts, which contain hair and fat
• Endometriomas, which contain uterine tissue
• Cystadenomas, cysts on the outside of ovaries
• Follicle cysts, an egg sac that doesn’t rupture and release an egg during menstruation
• Corpus luteum cysts, ruptured follicle sacs that don’t dissolve after releasing an egg

The last two — follicle cysts and corpus luteum cysts — are the most common types. If you have multiple cysts, you may develop a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can make your ovary expand and may cause infertility. 

What ovarian cysts feel like

As we mentioned, small cysts typically resolve on their own without much fanfare. However, when they do make themselves known, the classic signs are:

• Pain during bowel movements
• Pain during sex
• Pain during menstruation
• Lower back and thigh pain
• Tender breasts
• Abdominal bloating
• Nausea and vomiting
• A feeling of heaviness in the pelvic region

If you have a large cyst, it can force your ovary to twist out of position, which cuts off its blood supply and leads to tissue damage, but this is rare. More common is a ruptured large cyst that causes severe sharp pain, rapid breathing, and sometimes fever and dizziness. 

Treatments for ovarian cysts

When ovarian cysts don’t go away on their own, Dr. Shakiba evaluates all the contributing factors, including your age, your general health, whether or not you still want to have children, the number and size of your cysts, and the severity of your symptoms.

He may take a wait-and-watch approach and monitor your cysts for a few months. He may also prescribe birth control pills to help shrink the size of your cysts. 

However, under certain circumstances, Dr. Shakiba may determine that surgical removal is in your best interest. These situations include:

• A large cyst that’s getting bigger
• Persistent cysts that don’t go away in 2-3 months
• Painful cysts
• Cancerous cysts

If you have a cyst that needs to be removed, you’re in the best hands with Dr. Shakiba. He has a reputation for his precision; commitment to minimally invasive, tissue-preserving techniques; and a compassionate and collaborative connection with his patients. 

During your cyst removal procedure, he makes tiny incisions with very small instruments, which means you have a lower risk of infection and less bleeding, pain, scarring, and downtime.

If you have the telltale symptoms of an ovarian cyst, don’t ignore them. Schedule a consultation online with Dr. Shakiba, or call us at 201-301-2772 today.