It’s very common for a woman to develop an ovarian cyst at some point in life . Unless it causes serious problems, you may not even realize you have one. If you experience pelvic pain and other symptoms as a result of ovarian cysts, our three board certified MDs are skilled surgeons that offer the latest treatments, including robotic surgery. If you regularly experience pelvic pain and discomfort, call Elle OBGYN at 864-609-4009 or click online to make an appointment.
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that form in or on your ovaries. The cysts are common during ovulation when your body releases an egg each month. Ovarian cysts are usually harmless, present no symptoms, and can resolve without interventional treatment.
However, if one of your ovaries produces many small cysts at the same time, you can suffer from the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS often causes problems within your ovaries and makes it challenging for you to become pregnant.
While most cysts go unnoticed until you have a pelvic exam, a large ovarian cyst can cause:
Cysts that bleed or burst typically cause severe and sudden pain. If you have this experience, contact Dr. LeBel’s office right away to seek treatment.
Although any woman can develop an ovarian cyst, certain risk factors that increase your chances include:
In many cases, our doctors may recommend “watchful waiting” to monitor any changes in the cysts to see if they become larger or if they go away on their own. If you have bleeding or the ovarian cysts continue to grow larger, surgical removal may be the best treatment.
Our providers is highly skilled at removing ovarian cysts through minimally invasive robotic surgery. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery allows the doctor to make a small incision — often through your naval — so she can remove the cysts using surgical instruments and a camera to guide her.
In many cases, she can remove just the cysts that continue to cause painful symptoms. Other times, if you have severe PCOS, the doctors may recommend removing one of your ovaries as well. Before any procedure, she educates you about your condition and treatments so you know what to expect.
If endometriosis is an underlying cause of your ovarian cysts, the providers may also uses robotic surgery to treat this condition in which uterine tissue grows outside your uterus, often around your ovaries and fallopian tubes.
If you have unexplained abdominal pain, call the office to schedule an appointment or request the next available time using the online booking tool.