Ovarian cysts in childhood.

This is a review of cases of ovarian cyst encountered in childhood in the Manchester children's hospitals. The patients presented with acute or recurrent abdominal pain or an abdominal or pelvic mass. The commonest cyst found was a teratoma, which was discovered because of its size or because of a complication. All but one of the girls with teratomas had not reached puberty. After puberty the cysts were follicular or luteal in type, although there was one case of cystadenoma. Complications in the form of torsion, rupture which haemoperitoneum or haemorrhage into the cyst were common. Treatment consisted of ovarian cystectomy, oophorectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy, and the results were satisfactory.