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Oophorectomy and Ovarian Cysts

Under some circumstances, women may have to have one or more ovaries removed surgically. One of the reasons that ovaries are removed is because of problematic ovarian cysts.

What is an Oophorectomy?

An oophorectomy is a surgery to remove one or both ovaries. A surgeon may be able to perform a partial oophorectomy and remove the cyst or cysts and part of the ovary. In other cases, the surgeon might have to remove the fallopian tube as well as the ovary and cyst, called a salpingo-oophorectomy. If the surgeon only has to remove one ovary, you will still have the remaining ovary and will still be fertile.

An oophorectomy is often performed using laparoscopic surgery, a method that is much less invasive than traditional surgery.

Ovarian Cysts and Oophorectomy

Ovarian cysts are not always surgically removed. In most cases, these cysts disappear over the course of several months without any treatment. However, ovarian cysts may be removed for many reasons, including if the cysts are causing severe pain or are over 2.5 inches in diameter. Another reason that an oophorectomy might be performed is if the ovarian cyst ruptures. On the bright side, only about 15 percent of ovarian cysts are cancerous.

Prophylactic Oophorectomy

Under certain circumstances, physicians recommend a prophylactic oophorectomy to reduce the risk of getting ovarian or breast cancers. In this case, the surgeon will remove both ovaries, or perform a bilateral oophorectomy.

The ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone, known to contribute to the growth of ovarian or breast cancers. Removing the ovaries, thus stopping the production of estrogen and progesterone, can slow or stop the growth of these cancers.

Doctors will not recommend a prophylactic oophorectomy unless you have an inherited gene mutation related to breast cancer or you have a family history that includes many cases of breast cancer or ovarian cancer.

Bilateral Oophorectomy

Your doctor might recommend a bilateral oophorectomy for reasons in addition to preventing ovarian or breast cancers. If you have ovarian cysts that are causing problems on both of your ovaries, your situation may require a bilateral oophorectomy. In addition, a bilateral oophorectomy is often performed if you have ovarian cancer.

Side Effects of Oophorectomy

As with any type of surgery, risks involved with having an oophorectomy include having problems with anesthesia, internal bleeding or infection.

One of the major side effects of an oophorectomy is that it will be impossible to become pregnant if you have a bilateral procedure.

If you have a bilateral oophorectomy before you enter menopause, you will start to experience the symptoms of menopause earlier that you would have otherwise. Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, sleep disturbances and changes in the sex drive. In addition, women who have their ovaries removed run an increased risk of getting osteoporosis and heart disease. Your physician may prescribe hormone replacement therapy to combat these problems.

Oophorectomy: Prevention

While ovarian cysts cannot be prevented, the best way to avoid an oophorectomy is to have regular pelvic exams to deal with any problematic ovarian cysts that you might have early and quickly. If you are experiencing any symptoms that lead you to think that you may have ovarian cysts or have a higher risk of getting ovarian or breast cancer, contact your physician right away.

Resources

Health from A to Z. Oophorectomy. Retrieved on June 21, 2007, from http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/
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KOMOTV. Ovarian Cyst. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://ww3.komotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1230157.

Mayo Clinic. Prophylactic oophorectomy: Preventing cancer by surgically removing your ovaries. Retrieved June 21, 2007, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer/WO00095

OSF Healthcare. The Ovaries. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://www.stayinginshape.com/3osfcorp/libv/c03.shtml

Ovarian Cysts.com. Treatment of Ovarian Cysts. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://www.ovarian-cysts.com/articles/ovarian-cyst-treatments/index.php.

Ovarian Cysts.com. Types of Ovarian Cysts. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://www.ovarian-cysts.com/articles/ovarian-cyst-types/index.php.

Ovarian Cysts.com. Ovarian Cyst Symptoms and Diagnosis. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://www.ovarian-cysts.com/articles/ovarian-cyst-symptoms/index.php.

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