A 15 years old, has gained unusual weight in the past two years, her belly is getting bigger, she has difficulty breathing. The doctor discovered an ovarian tumor containing nearly 10 liters of fluid taking up the entire abdomen.
In mid-2023, Han weighs 65 kg, has a waist of 80 cm, and works out at the gym 1.5 hours a day, three times a week. After 6 months, the baby’s weight decreased by 5 kg but the baby’s waist circumference increased by 5 cm, his gait was heavy, and his belly had many stretch marks like a full-term pregnant woman.
I went to the hospital for a check-up due to symptoms of difficulty breathing. Doctor Nguyen Do Trong, Pediatric Surgery Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that Han had an ovarian cyst on the right side that occupied the entire abdomen, pushing the entire liver. , the spleen and intestines rise above the diaphragm, causing difficulty breathing. The tumor compresses the ureter, causing dilation of both ureters and hydronephrosis. The tumor is too large and risks affecting the baby’s reproductive health in the future. Imaging methods as well as cancer diagnostic tests (cancer markers) of the patient all suspected benign cysts.
Doctor Do Trong, head of the surgical team, chose a minimally invasive surgical method, making a small 5 cm incision right at the navel with an abdominal examination. The results showed that the ovary was not twisted and the cyst contained fluid inside. The team sucked nearly 10 liters of fluid, removed tissue, and preserved both ovaries.
Baby Han recovered quickly after surgery, lost more than 10 kg, had a flat stomach, and a waist of 65 cm. The tumor tissue surgery results determined that it was a benign ovarian cyst.
About 90% of ovarian cysts are benign, cause few symptoms, and are often discovered accidentally during a physical examination, according to Dr. Do Trong. Large, twisted tumors cause acute abdominal pain, irregular menstruation, lower abdominal pain, constipation, and frequent urination because the large tumor compresses the bladder and colorectal. If not detected and treated early, the tumor can cause many dangerous complications such as cyst torsion, cyst rupture, can affect fertility, and some risks can be cancer.
Ovarian cysts can also occur in newborn girls. According to Dr. Trong, not all patients with cysts require surgical intervention but need to be closely monitored. Infants with ovarian cysts may be hospitalized due to torsion, necrosis…
Detecting a tumor late is very dangerous for girls during puberty. In many cases, pregnancy is misunderstood, affecting the child’s psychology. In Han’s case, if she doesn’t go to the doctor and continues to exercise, it can cause the tumor to twist or rupture, which is very dangerous.
Doctors recommend that girls in puberty and women of reproductive age who see an unusually large belly should go to the hospital for examination. Timely treatment helps preserve the ability to have children and avoid life-threatening tumor ruptures.