About Cervical Cyst Removal
This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.
What is the Cervix?
Your cervix
is that portion of your womb (uterus) which extends into and through the back
of your vagina—the exit of the birth canal during labor and delivery of a baby.
While it dilates to accommodate the birthing process, in the non-pregnant state
its circular area is collapsed and plugged with mucus to prevent germs from
entering. The cervix, because it protrudes into your vagina, can be easily seen
during a pelvic exam using a smooth speculum device.
What is a Cervical
Cyst?
Since the cervix normally makes mucus, there are
mucus-secreting glands (called “Nabothian glands”)
that at times can be seen on exam. These are normal. But glands must secrete
what they make, and if the gland’s exit for the mucus is blocked, mucus can
accumulate, increasing the size of the gland until it’s called a “cyst,”
that is, an abnormal amount collected of a normal substance. These usually go
away on their own; if one doesn’t, however, because it is benign, removal would
only be desirable if it began to cause symptoms.
Chronic vaginal discharge, pain with intercourse, etc., are things that could
warrant removal.
Sometimes a cervical cyst can be abnormal material that
accumulates, such as in endometriosis (glandular material similar to the higher
lining of your uterus).
How is a Cervical
Cyst Diagnosed?
Since a cervical cyst is not life-threatening, the main goal
in making the diagnosis is to make sure what is there isn’t something else—something that is dangerous.
This can be done easily by visualizing the cyst with a special pair of lenses
called a colposcope, which is
nothing more than binoculars on a stick which can be maneuvered for optimum
views. It there is still any doubt, a small pinch of tissue (a “biopsy”) can be
done to prove for certain what is going on; this requires no anesthetic.
How are Cervical
Cysts Removed and How Difficult?
Since they are accessible from a vaginal approach, they are
not difficult to remove. Usually either no—or very little—local anesthetic is
used and they can be removed or destroyed in just a moment. Either freezing
them with a “cryo” instrument or using a “loop” electrode to scoop them away
are the easiest and recommended ways. Also, just puncturing them and allowing
them to drain can possibly work, but may result in their return.
Removal is simple, convenient, and safe. It is easily
accomplished within just an office visit, which involves a gynecological and
medical evaluation. You walk out feeling the same as you walked in.
How Do You Prepare?
You really don’t have to do anything to prepare. The only
recommendation is that you schedule it during a time you’re not on your cyclic
period. It’s not that this makes it dangerous, it’s just that menstrual blood
and debris obscures the visibility, making it more tedious for your doctor.
How Does Medical
Tourism Impact Cervical Cyst Removal?
It doesn’t. There is no problem with flying home, even
immediately.
Days admitted : Cervical cyst removal is usually performed as an outpatient procedure.
Anesthesia : Usually none, especially if a cryo procedure is done. If anesthetics are needed, a fine needle insertion of local anesthetic around the cervix is all that is necessary. (It is very brief and easily to
Recovery : Recovery is considered complete at the end of the office visit itself. Follow-up may be requested by your doctor, but this can be done by any doctor if you’ve had the procedure elsewhere. You should not have sexual intercourse for 10 days. Since either the cryo (freezing) or electrocautery used is technically a “burn,” you should expect a slight “weeping” vaginal discharge for anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. For this normal post-op discharge, you should use a sanitary napkin, as a tampon may remove a scab that is on the cervix, which could start bleeding.
Risks : Treating cervical cysts is very safe. There is the risk the cyst may return, but this is unlikely, because a recurrence is more likely a new cyst, not a recurrence of the old one. Blood loss is negligible, if any. You may have some spotting which goes away over a few days.
After care : • Report to your doctor if there is bleeding which does not resolve in a few days or if the bleeding is more than just spotting.
• Report any fevers, pus-like (“purulent”) discharge. A slight discharge for even up to 2 weeks can be normal, but a purulent one will have a bad odor.
• Once you resume sex, if it is painful or results in bleeding, report this, but don’t panic—it probably means you just have to give the healing process another week or so.
• You may resume using tampons, if you prefer, on the cycle after next.
Learn more about Cervical Cyst Removal
- Cervix of uterus on Healthline
- Book - Pathology of the female genital tract
- Nabothian cyst on Medlineplus
- Nabothian Cysts on Drugs.com
- Nabothian Cyst of Uterine Cervix on DoveMed
- Female Genital Tract Cysts. European Journal of General Medicine
- Book - Women's Gynecologic Health
- Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 86, No. 2, pp. 147-151). Elsevier.
- The value of colposcopy in screening cervical carcinoma
- Local anesthesia for cryosurgery on the cervix. The Journal of reproductive medicine
- Lestari, L., Purwoto, G., & Nuranna, L. (2017). Efficacy and Safety of Cryotherapy in
- Townsend, D. E., Ostergard, D. R., & Lickrish, G. M. (1971). Cryosurgery for benign disease of t
- LIN, T. C., WANG, G., HAN, Y. B., & JIN, L. G. (2005). Clinic study on LEEP in treatment of chronic
- Berget, A., Andreasson, B., Bock, J. E., Bostofte, E., et al. (1987). Outpatient treatment of cervic