Management of Bartholin Duct Cysts and Gland Abscesses

Hemorrhagic Bartholin's cyst in a woman using anti-platelet medication: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

We report the case of a postmenopausal female with a hemorrhagic Bartholin's cyst who has been using an antiplatelet medication.

CASE SUMMARY

A postmenopausal woman, 84 years of age, had a medical history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (three-vessel disease), chronic kidney disease (stage 3), and dementia. The patient has been taking clopidogrel, an antiplatelet medication, for several years. She presented at our outpatient clinic complaining of painful swelling over her left vulva for several days. A Bartholin's cyst over the left vulva was suspected, and the patient underwent marsupialization under local anesthesia, which was well-tolerated. During the incision procedure, bright-red blood with some blood clots was discharged, and a hemorrhagic Bartholin's cyst was observed. There was no recurrence of the hemorrhagic Bartholin's cyst during the 6-mo subsequent follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

Hemorrhagic Bartholin's cysts rarely occur. We report the case of a postmenopausal female with a hemorrhagic Bartholin's cyst who had been on antiplatelets and was successfully treated with marsupialization. No recurrence was noted during the 6-mo follow-up period. Older females taking antiplatelets should be cautious of bleeding when presenting with a Bartholin's cyst.

Challenges in management of Bartholin gland leiomyoma: A case report

Leiomyomas are uncommon vulvar neoplasms often misdiagnosed as other Bartholin gland pathology. This case report describes a case of accelerating growth of a vulvar mass, initially diagnosed as Bartholin cyst. Surgical excision led to a histopathologic diagnosis of vulvar leiomyoma. The postoperative recovery was complicated by secondary hematoma and dehiscence of the surgical site. There was no recurrence at 2 years follow-up.

Bartholin Gland Abscess Diagnosis and Office Management

While Bartholin gland abscesses are less commonly seen outpatient pathology, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to preventing serious complications such as sepsis and rectovaginal fistula. Owing to an unacceptably high recurrence rate, simple incision and drainage is insufficient for primary treatment; preferably, placement of a Word catheter or Jacobi ring device to reepithelize the duct may be done under local anesthesia in an outpatient clinic. Destruction of the gland through silver nitrate application or alcohol sclerotherapy is an alternative. Marsupialization is often reserved for recurrent cases, although can be offered as primary management in some situations.

Bartholin’s Abscess with Bacterial Vaginosis Coinfection Successfully Treated with a Modified Word Catheter and Combined Antibiotics

BACKGROUND: Bartholin’s abscess is an infection of the Bartholin gland that often occurs in women of childbearing age. The prevalence of Bartholin’s abscess is 2% in the female population worldwide. Patients often complain dyspareunia with a high recurrence rate. Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is a syndrome of changes in the vaginal ecosystem that occurs spontaneously in sexually active women. BV can contribute to the development of a Bartholin’s gland abscess. CASE REPORT: A 30-year-old woman came with the chief complaint of a 5 cm × 5 cm erythematous, tender, and mobile mass on the right side of the labia majora. In addition, the patient also experienced recurrent vaginal discharge. The patient was diagnosed with Bartholin’s abscess with BV coinfection that was successfully treated with a modified word catheter and combination of antibiotics that showed no recurrence. CONCLUSION: Combination of modified word catheter and antibiotics can be a simple yet effective way in treating Bartholin’s abscess.

Approach to Bartholin's abscesses and recurrences under office conditions

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate the various treatment methods and recurrence rates regarding Bartholin's gland abscesses under office conditions in our clinic.

METHODS

In our study, the data of 155 patients who applied to the gynaecology and obstetrics clinic of our hospital between January 2017 and November 2020 and had Bartholin's abscess that was treated with surgical methods under office conditions were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Of the 155 patients included in the study, 111 underwent incision drainage, 22 underwent marsupialization, and 22 underwent incision drainage+ silver nitrate. Bartholin's abscess was localized on the right side in 48.4% of the patients and on the left side in 51.6% of the patients. Recurrence was detected in 53 of 155 patients included. Recurrence was detected in 39.6% of the patients who underwent incision drainage in the first treatment, 31.8% of those who underwent marsupialization, and 9.1% of those who underwent incision+silver nitrate. The difference in success, based on recurrence rates, was found to be statistically significantly in favour of silver nitrate (p<0.05). In secondary treatments for recurrent cases, marsupialization or incision+silver nitrate treatment was effective in over 90% of cases, while incision drainage was effective in 30% of patients.

CONCLUSION

The findings of our study show that silver nitrate application led to a lower recurrence rate than the other two methods. In view of this, we recommend that marsupialization or silver nitrate be preferred, especially in the treatment of recurrent cases.