Endometrioma: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Endometrioma is a type of cyst in the ovary, filled with blood, which is more frequent during the fertile years, before menopause. Although it is a benign change, it can cause some symptoms such as pelvic pain and severe menstrual cramps, as well as affecting a woman's fertility.

In many cases, the endometrioma disappears after menstruation, but in women with endometriosis the cyst can remain, irritating the ovarian tissues and leading to the appearance of symptoms, which needs to be treated with the use of a pill or surgery, depending on the severity.

Main symptoms

The most common symptoms of endometrioma include:

• Intense abdominal cramps; Abnormal bleeding; Very painful menstruation; Dark vaginal discharge; Discomfort when urinating or defecating; Pain during intimate contact.

The appearance and intensity of these symptoms vary from woman to woman and, therefore, each case must be evaluated individually by a gynecologist. However, if the pain is very severe or there is heavy bleeding, it is advisable to go to the hospital immediately.

What causes endometrioma

Endometrioma arises when a piece of tissue that lines the uterus, known as the endometrium, detaches and manages to reach the ovary, forming a small pouch that grows and accumulates blood.

Normally, the endometrioma only grows when there are hormones circulating and, therefore, many women stop having endometrioma after menstruation, when there is a sharp drop in the levels of these hormones. However, in the case of women with endometriosis, this process does not happen and, therefore, the cyst remains in the ovary and continues to irritate the surrounding tissues.

When the endometrioma does not disappear, it continues to grow and can even multiply, affecting a larger area of ​​the ovary, which can end up affecting a woman's fertility.

Is endometrioma cancer?

Endometrioma is not cancer and there is a very low chance of it becoming cancer. However, severe endometrioma can cause several complications and even reappear after treatment.

Possible complications

The main complication of endometrioma is the decreased fertility of the woman, however, this is more frequent when the cyst is very large or the woman has more than one cyst. Usually changes that interfere with fertility include:

• The ovary is unable to produce mature eggs; The forming eggs have a thicker wall that prevents sperm from penetrating; The tubes may have scars that hinder the passage of the egg and sperm.

In addition, some women may also have a hormonal imbalance that is at the base of the endometrioma, so even if the egg is fertilized, it may be difficult to stick to the wall of the uterus.

How the treatment is done

Treatment of endometrioma depends on the severity of the symptoms and the size of the cyst. In many cases, treatment can be done only with the continuous use of a contraceptive pill that prevents menstruation and, therefore, prevents the accumulation of blood inside the cyst.

However, if the cyst is very large or if very intense symptoms appear, the gynecologist may choose to have surgery to remove the affected tissue. However, if the cyst is very large or developed, it may be necessary to remove the entire ovary. Understand better when this type of surgery is done.

What is abdominal wall endometrioma?

Abdominal wall endometrioma may appear more frequently in women after cesarean section, close to the scar.

Symptoms of abdominal wall endometrioma can be a painful tumor, which increases in size during menstruation. The diagnosis can be made through ultrasound or computed tomography.

The treatment of abdominal wall endometrioma is open surgery to remove the endometrioma and loosen tissue adhesions.