How long after minimally invasive teratoma surgery can one take a bath?

Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on January 11, 2025
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Minimally invasive surgery for teratomas involves laparoscopic surgery, which causes less harm to patients. After the surgery, there are only three to four small incisions on the abdominal wall, which generally heal within three to five days. If you wish to take a bath, it is usually possible to do so after one week. When bathing, it is crucial to maintain cleanliness around the incisions. It is best to apply iodine before and after bathing to disinfect the area, preventing infection at the incision sites. Additionally, during the bath, avoid rubbing the incisions too vigorously to prevent pain.

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Written by Zhao Xiao Dong
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Why does pressing on a teratoma hurt?

Teratoma pain is often caused by torsion of the teratoma, which is prone to twisting, especially after vigorous exercise or sexual intercourse. Teratoma torsion typically presents as lower abdominal pain, and physical examination of the teratoma site will show significant tenderness, and even rebound pain. In such cases, emergency surgery is generally required to perform a teratoma excision. If the torsion is too severe and there is obvious ovarian necrosis, a unilateral adnexectomy must be performed, and the ovary cannot be preserved. However, this is relatively rare, and in most cases of teratoma torsion, the ovary can be preserved.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How long after minimally invasive teratoma surgery can one take a bath?

After minimally invasive surgery for a teratoma, one can generally take a bath three to seven days later; many people simply find it difficult to accept this. Minimally invasive surgery involves only a few small incisions in the abdominal wall. Such wounds, generally after 48 hours, as long as there is no redness, no secretion discharge, and they remain relatively dry, are not likely to be penetrated by water or a small amount of bacteria during bathing. As long as one takes a shower and avoids sitting baths, there wouldn't be complications concerning the vagina or cervix, etc. It is only necessary to avoid cold water temperatures, exposure to wind, and fatigue.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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What are the symptoms of a teratoma?

Patients with teratomas may have no clinical symptoms whatsoever. Some women only discover ovarian teratomas incidentally during gynecological ultrasound examinations at health check-ups. However, it is important to note that if ovarian teratomas develop complications, they can present a range of clinical symptoms. For example, if an ovarian teratoma undergoes torsion, the patient may experience lower abdominal pain, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Moreover, if the teratoma has malignant tendencies, it can exhibit a series of clinical manifestations typical of malignant tumors.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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The difference between ovarian teratoma and cysts

Ovarian teratomas and ovarian cysts are two completely different diseases. Ovarian teratomas are caused by congenital factors and are tumors of the germ cells that can be benign or malignant, usually requiring surgical removal for treatment. Ovarian cysts, on the other hand, are caused by various factors in women, such as poor lifestyle habits or an imperfect diet structure, leading to a hormonal disease. Ovarian cysts can be physiological or pathological. Usually, physiological ovarian cysts gradually disappear with the menstrual cycle, while pathological ovarian cysts can also be benign or malignant. The need for surgical treatment depends on the nature, size, and clinical symptoms of the ovarian cyst.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Do ovarian teratomas hurt?

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.