Do ovarian teratomas hurt?

Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on September 01, 2024
00:00
00:00

Ovarian teratomas do not cause abdominal pain under normal conditions. However, if a patient engages in vigorous activities, it can lead to a torsion of the ovarian teratoma. The torsion of the teratoma can drag the ovary to twist along with it, consequently affecting the blood supply to the adnexa on the affected side, leading to ischemic necrosis of the adnexa, and thus causing a sudden onset of severe lower abdominal pain on one side. In such abnormal situations, the ovarian teratoma can indeed cause lower abdominal pain.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
50sec home-news-image

Are ovarian teratomas congenital?

Ovarian teratomas are congenital, primarily deriving from primordial germ cells. Teratomas consist of tissues from multiple embryonic layers, mostly being immature types. Most ovarian teratomas are cystic. Depending on the degree of tissue differentiation, teratomas can be classified as benign or malignant. Benign teratomas, also known as mature teratomas, are more common in women aged 20-40 and are usually unilateral and either round or ovoid in shape. A portion of these teratomas are malignant, typically found in younger patients, roughly aged 11-19 years, and this condition has a poorer prognosis, requiring timely surgical treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
52sec home-news-image

Does ovarian teratoma affect menstruation?

Ovarian teratomas include mature teratomas, which are benign tumors. These benign ovarian teratomas do not affect menstruation. However, there are also malignant teratomas, which are immature teratomas. Immature teratomas can secrete hormones, and because they secrete different types of hormones, their impact on menstruation varies. If an ovarian teratoma is diagnosed, immediate surgical treatment is required, because if it is an immature teratoma, it is malignant. Prolonged presence can lead to metastasis. If a teratoma is detected early, early-stage malignant tumors can be cured through surgical treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
40sec home-news-image

Can teratoma affect menstruation?

The majority of teratomas do not have endocrine functions and will not affect menstrual cycles. If there is a delay in menstruation, the first step is to check for pregnancy. If menstruation is delayed for two weeks, pregnancy should be ruled out, and interventions might be necessary, such as an ultrasound to examine the endometrium or a progesterone withdrawal test. Teratomas do not cause menstrual delays unless a very small number of them have endocrine issues. However, these would not suddenly change the menstrual cycle but would potentially cause long-term endocrine changes from the time the teratoma is discovered.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
45sec home-news-image

Can teratoma be treated with minimally invasive surgery?

Teratoma is a type of ovarian cyst. Whether a teratoma can be treated through minimally invasive surgery needs to be assessed based on the size of the teratoma. If the teratoma is of normal size, then it can be treated with laparoscopic teratoma surgery. However, if the teratoma is excessively large, such a large teratoma will occupy most of the volume of the pelvic abdomen. In this case, it is not possible to perform minimally invasive surgery. Therefore, further evaluation is needed before performing teratoma surgery to determine if it is suitable for minimally invasive surgery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Sun Shan Shan
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 4sec home-news-image

Can teratoma be eliminated by taking medicine?

Ovarian teratomas cannot be eliminated by medication, as it is ineffective. Ovarian teratomas are a type of ovarian germ cell tumor. They can be classified as mature ovarian teratomas, also known as dermoid cysts, which are benign tumors. These cystic teratomas are multilocular, and their ovarian cyst cavities are filled with sebum and hair; sometimes teeth and bone can be seen. Therefore, medication cannot eliminate these conditions. Another type is the immature teratoma, which is a malignant tumor, commonly occurring between the ages of 11 and 19. Therefore, once an ovarian teratoma occurs, timely surgical treatment is necessary, along with further examinations to determine the nature of the ovarian cyst. Thus, medication is not a solution, and timely examination and appropriate treatment are required.