Endoscopic surgery for mature teratoma of the ovary.

BACKGROUND

This study was undertaken to assess the value of laparoscopic surgery as treatment for benign mature teratomas of the ovary.

METHODS

A total of 70 patients treated exclusively with laparoscopic surgery for ovarian mature teratoma were studied. The tumors were either enucleated with preservation of the ovary or removed by salpingo-oophorectomy.

RESULTS

Ovary-preserving surgery was performed in 60 cases; salpingo-oophorectomy was accomplished in 10 cases. All tumors removed were histologically benign. No surgical complications were encountered throughout the series. In eight patients who underwent primary ovary-preserving surgery, a second-look laparoscopy was undertaken with virtually no pathological findings noted.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings confirm those of other authors- when performed by experienced surgeons, laparoscopic removal of ovarian mature teratomas is a safe and recommendable alternative to laparotomy. Preoperative diagnosis and intraoperative inspection of the tumor must be as thorough as possible.