Ruptured Ovarian Cyst

An ovarian cyst usually only causes symptoms if it ruptures

Aetiology

  • Commonly occur in functional cysts
  • May also occur dermoid or endometrioma
  • Rupture can be spontaneous or after trauma (SI, contact sports)

Clinical presentation

Symptoms

  • Most common cause of acute pelvic pain in an afebrile, premenopausal women

Signs

  • May be rebound tenderness
  • Haemorrhage from a cyst can (rarely) be severe enough to cause shock)

Investigations

  • Ultrasound - shows whether rupture has occured and whether the cyst is haemorrhagic

Management

  • Treated conservatively in a premenopausal woman unless evidence of hypovolaemic shock
  • A haemorrhagic cyst or ruptured cyst in a postmenopausal woman deserves surgical evaluation