Removal of ovary with a Dermoid Tumor in large woman

[Moose1974]

I am 52 and a "larger woman" and am totally confused.  I have a Dermoid tumor on my ovary and my gyno wants to remove both overies and the tumor using conventional stomach cut surgery, because he concerned about spillage.  I also went to a general surgeon and he  is recommending removing it through a laparoscopy.  Please help me to know what is the best method for me.

[shaddycat]

Hi again
You must be so relieved to have it behind you now and you are feeling well.  And good news that it was benign.  I'm still waiting a date for the op but expect to hear soon.
Best wishes
Debbie

[Moose1974]

I had the surgery on the 13th.  The doctor thought it would be best to do a TAH/BSO with cervix removal (vertical cut), everything came back benign.  Besides the mass on the ovary I also had fibroids on the uterus.  I am feeling well and had the staples out yesterday.  Let me know how it goes with you.

[shaddycat]

Do you have a date for your surgery?  I am on the large size and 54 and waiting to get a date for surgery to remove a mass from left ovary.  I'm not sure I will be given a choice of surgical methods but if I am then I will opt for the conventional surgery, to minimise any possible risk.   My 'mass' (whch is how my doctor refers to it) is 11cm so I am guessing that would mean traditional surgery anyway.  Good luck and let us know how you get on.  This is a great forum and I only joined yesterday but already I feel armed with the right questions to fire at the gyno, and the support here is brilliant.

[MarieMichele]

Either one is correct but I'm siding with the doctor that wants to prevent spillage.  Yes, it's the bigger surgery but if there's even the slightest bit of cancer hiding in that cyst and they don't contain it properly during removal it could release cancer into your blood and you will almost automatically go from a contained situation (and often a complete cure on surgery alone) to a more dire one that requires chemo treatments.  Accidents can happen in laparoscopy in bagging, deflating/shrinking, removing a cyst and a dermoid is SOLID so they can only shrink it so much to squeeze it through a laproscopic incision. While 95% of cysts are benign, they rarely know which 5% isn't until they remove it.

In my opinion, a gyno surgeon (preferably a gyn/oncologist) is more experienced with female surgeries than a general surgeon might be.  You want a specialist, not a jack of all trades.  

Plus doctors always worry more about hidden cancers for patients past, close to, or in menopause ages.  You only get one chance to choose the correct procedure and it's best to take the one that could give you the best outcome.  I didn't want the bigger surgery, believe me, but I have no regrets that I did.  As for being bigger (I'm not, but my stomach swelled enough that I looked pregnant thanks to that cyst), doctors should know how to adjust their techniques regardless of the patient's size.

If you decide on stomach cut, opt for vertical rather than a horizontal "bikini cut".  Horizontal heals better and faster with less chance of lasting nerve damage/pain.  Mine healed so well, other than the visible scar, it's like the surgery never happened.

Best wishes to you.  You'll be in my thoughts.