The surgeon will make an incision on the skin above or near the cyst to either drain or remove it. The skin may be sutured closed and covered with steri-strips and a gauze dressing or surgical glue. If you have more than one cyst, they can often all be removed during the same visit.
During a cyst removal, the doctor will mark and numb the area around the bump. You'll get a few Lidocaine injections that may slightly sting, but that's the worst part. After that, you won't feel the procedure.
Duration of the Procedure
The entire process of removing a cyst can take 30 minutes or less. The size and location of your cyst will affect how long the procedure takes. In most instances, removing a cyst is a simple, straightforward procedure.
Is ovarian cystectomy a major surgery? It depends on what type of surgery you have. If your surgeon can perform the procedure laparoscopically, it's minimally invasive and you'll likely return to your typical activities within two or three weeks. There are still risks to surgery, but they're low.
In a fine needle aspiration procedure, a thin needle is inserted into the cyst, after the area has been numbed. Your medical provider will drain the cyst's fluids through the needle. Patients typically experience no discomfort to minimal discomfort during the procedure.
You may be given a sedative along with a local or regional anesthetic to relax you and reduce anxiety. A general anesthetic relaxes your muscles and puts you to sleep. All three types of anesthesia should keep you from feeling pain during the operation. Your health care provider will cut around the cyst and remove it.
Some cysts are cancerous and early treatment is vital. If left untreated, benign cysts can cause serious complications including: Infection – the cyst fills with bacteria and pus, and becomes an abscess. If the abscess bursts inside the body, there is a risk of blood poisoning (septicaemia).
Most patients can go home the same day. In some cases, an overnight stay may be required. Expect some soreness around the surgical site during the first 24 to 48 hours following surgery.
Sometimes, nothing will happen if you don't get a cyst removal. They aren't harmful to your health, so if they don't bother you, they can remain just as they are. However, on occasion, a cyst will burst, which can create a more painful and challenging medical situation, especially if your cyst is infected.
It involves making a 2- to 3-mm incision, expressing the cyst contents through compression and extracting the cyst wall through the incision. Gauze or a splatter shield should be used to protect the physician from spraying of cyst contents.
If you had a cyst excised, you'll have stitches to minimize scarring. Patients may experience tenderness and mild pain after an excision, easily managed with at-home pain medication such as Tylenol.
Keep the bandage dry for 48 hours and then you may remove the bandage and shower over the incision. If you see tape strips across the incision, leave these in place and shower over them. You may remove them after two weeks if desired or allow them to fall off. It is not necessary to reapply a bandage.
Risks & Benefits of Cyst Removal
The benefits of cyst removal surgery include relief from pain and other symptoms like bleeding, bloating, and the pressure of the cyst pushing against other parts of your pelvis. However, there is a risk of injury to other areas like your bowel and bladder during surgery.
Cysts develop when the protein is trapped below the skin because of disruption to the skin or to a hair follicle. These cysts may develop for a number of reasons, but trauma to the skin is typically thought to be the main cause. When numerous, an underlying genetic disorder such as Gardner syndrome may be the cause.
Surgery. Large or persistent ovarian cysts, or cysts that are causing symptoms, usually need to be surgically removed. Surgery is also normally recommended if there are concerns that the cyst could be cancerous or could become cancerous.
Some cysts go away on their own while others continue to grow until you get treatment. Without treatment, you may have the sebaceous cyst for the rest of your life.
Your Recovery
If your incision is left open, it may take from a few weeks to several months to heal. After the incision has healed, you will have a scar where the cyst was removed. This will fade and become softer with time. Most people can go back to work and most activities after 2 to 4 weeks.
We don't usually consider surgery unless a cyst is larger than 50-60mm (5-6cm) although that may depend on what the cyst looks like and what symptoms it causes. Ovarian cysts are so common that nearly every woman will have one at some stage in her life. Many women will have no problems related to the cyst.
Cysts can remain small for years or they can keep growing larger. Sometimes, as noted above, a sebaceous cyst can disappear on its own, but surgery is usually necessary to remove them.
A cyst can form in any part of the body, including bones, organs and soft tissues. Most cysts are noncancerous (benign), but sometimes cancer can cause a cyst. Tumor. A tumor is any abnormal mass of tissue or swelling.
A skin cyst is a fluid-filled lump just underneath the skin. It's common and harmless, and may disappear without treatment.
Most cysts don't need to be surgically removed. However, surgery may be recommended for cysts that are large, don't go away on their own, or appear abnormal by ultrasound.
Minor surgery.
Your doctor can remove the entire cyst. You may need to return to the doctor's office to have stitches removed. Minor surgery is safe and effective and usually prevents cysts from recurring. If your cyst is inflamed, your doctor may delay the surgery.
When can I have a bath or shower after surgery? After 48 hours, surgical wounds can get wet without increasing the risk of infection. After this time, you can get your stitches wet briefly with a light spray (such as in the shower), but they should not be soaked (for example, in the bath).
What are the risks of having a cyst removal procedure? Risks of any surgery include the development of a scar, a small risk of infection and a small risk of bleeding. Cysts can recur in which case they can be cut out again.