The Role of Surgery in Antenatal Ovarian Torsion: Retrospective Evaluation of 28 Cases and Review of the Literature

Managing Fetal Ovarian Cysts: Clinical Experience with a Rare Disorder

Background and Objectives: Fetal ovarian cysts (FOCs) are a very rare pathology that can be associated with maternal-fetal and neonatal complications. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ultrasound characteristics on FOC evolution and therapeutic management. Materials and Methods: We included cases admitted to our perinatal tertiary center between August 2016 and December 2022 with a prenatal or postnatal ultrasound evaluation indicative of FOC. We retrospectively analyzed the pre- and postnatal medical records, sonographic findings, operation protocols, and pathology reports. Results: This study investigated 20 cases of FOCs, of which 17 (85%) were diagnosed prenatally and 3 (15%) postnatally. The mean size of prenatally diagnosed ovarian cysts was 34.64 ± 12.53 mm for simple ovarian cysts and 55.16 ± 21.01 mm for complex ovarian cysts (p = 0.01). The simple FOCs ≤ 4 cm underwent resorption (n = 7, 70%) or size reduction (n = 3, 30%) without complications. Only 1 simple FOC greater than 4 cm reduced its size during follow-up, while 2 cases (66.6%) were complicated with ovarian torsion. Complex ovarian cysts diagnosed prenatally underwent resorption in only 1 case (25%), reduced in size in 1 case (25%), and were complicated with ovarian torsion in 2 cases (50%). Moreover, 2 simple (66.6%) and 1 complex (33.3%) fetal ovarian cysts were postnatally diagnosed. All of these simple ovarian cysts had a maximum diameter of ≤4 cm, and all of them underwent size reduction. The complex ovarian cyst of 4 cm underwent resorption during follow-up. Conclusions: Symptomatic neonatal ovarian cysts, as well as those that grow in size during sonographic follow-up, are in danger of ovarian torsion and should be operated on. Complex cysts and large cysts (with >4 cm diameter) could be followed up unless they become symptomatic or increase in dimensions during serial ultrasounds.

Ovarian absence: a systematic literature review and case series report

Ovarian absence is an uncommon condition that most frequently presents unilaterally. Several etiologies for the condition have been proposed, including torsion, vascular accident, and embryological defect. A systematic review was conducted to describe the clinical presentation of ovarian absence, as well as its associations with other congenital anomalies, through a systematic search of Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Scholar, Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Exclusion criteria included cases with suspicion for Differences of Sex Development, lack of surgically-confirmed ovarian absence, and karyotypes other than 46XX. Our search yielded 12,120 citations, of which 79 studies were included. 10 additional studies were found by citation chasing resulting in a total 113 cases including two unpublished cases presented in this review. Abdominal/pelvic pain (30%) and infertility/subfertility (19%) were the most frequent presentations. Ovarian abnormalities were not noted in 28% of cases with pre-operative ovarian imaging results. Approximately 17% of cases had concomitant uterine abnormalities, while 22% had renal abnormalities. Renal abnormalities were more likely in patients with uterine abnormalities (p < 0.005). Torsion or vascular etiology was the most frequently suspected etiology of ovarian absence (52%), followed by indeterminate (27%) and embryologic etiology (21%). Most cases of ovarian absence are likely attributable to torsion or vascular accidents, despite many references to the condition as "agenesis" in the literature. Imaging may fail to correctly diagnose ovarian absence, and diagnostic laparoscopy may be preferable in many cases as genitourinary anatomy and fertility considerations can be assessed during the procedure. Fertility is likely minimally or not affected in women with unilateral ovarian absence.

Laparoscopy ıs a defınıtıve dıagnostıc method for auto-amputated ovary ın ınfants

PURPOSE

Antenatal auto-amputation of the ovary is an extremely rare event, and its diagnosis is difficult. We aimed to retrospectively review the cases with antenatal auto-amputation, where the diagnosis was made based on detection of free-floating cyst during surgery.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with auto-amputated ovary during the surgery between 2012 and 2021 were included in the study. The data were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological findings were recorded.

RESULTS

Eight patients underwent surgery for an abdominal cystic mass. The age range of patients who were operated was from 21 days to 9 months. None of the patients had symptoms, except one patient who had a large cyst and was vomiting. Prenatal ultrasound examination indicated an intra-abdominal cyst in all patients, but auto-amputated ovary diagnosis was not made. Differential postnatal diagnoses included an ovarian cyst, ovarian teratoma, tuba-ovarian torsion, mesenteric lymphatic malformation, and intestinal duplication cyst. Only one patient had an auto-amputated ovary suspicion in computed tomography. Laparoscopic exploration (n: 7) or laparotomy (n: 1) was performed. Histopathologic examination was necrosis and calcification (n: 6), necrosis (n: 1), and serous cystadenoma and necrosis (n: 1).

CONCLUSION

We suggest that laparoscopy should be used for diagnosis and treatment of antenatal intra-abdominal cysts that persist postnatally because of diagnostic dilemmas. We recommend in patients diagnosed with auto-amputated ovary that the other ovary should be carefully monitored and followed up in terms of ovarian cyst, due to the possible risk of torsion.