What To Expect From A Surgical Bartholin Cyst Treatment
More and more women hear about their Bartholin’s glands daily – whether from articles online, in magazines, from their friends, or even from their doctors. While they are easy not to think about, there are times when you have to – namely, when Bartholin cysts form in the glands. While not everyone will be faced with Bartholin cysts, it is important to know what to look for in case you find yourself dealing with one. It is also equally important to understand how these types of cysts are treated so that you can know what to expect in case you need professional treatment, such as the surgical removal of a Bartholin cyst.
What Are Bartholin’s Glands?
The Bartholin’s Glands are small glands located at the entrance to the vagina. These glands provide fluid to the vagina and help maintain moisture. However, these glands can quickly get infected.
What is a Bartholin Cyst?
It is estimated that around two out of ten women will find that they have a Bartholin cyst at one point or another in their lifetimes. This is a pretty large number of women – and not all women know what a Bartholin cyst is. Luckily, they are becoming more and more educated about these cysts.
A Bartholin cyst is a cyst that occurs in the Bartholin glands in the opening of the vagina. The cyst, which is a small, fluid-filled sac, can form due to infection of the glands, which can happen when fluid backs up in the gland itself. A cyst can develop if the fluid cannot drain out of the glands due to the blockage. Most Bartholin cysts are not cancerous but can often cause discomfort, pain, or further infection.
What Are The Symptoms of a Bartholin’s Cyst?
A Bartholin cyst can have many symptoms, or there might not be any symptoms at all. For those women who do find themselves dealing with symptoms, they can include the following:
- Pain during intercourse
- Vaginal dryness
- Swelling or large lumps at the opening to the vagina
- Pain while walking or moving
- Abnormal discharge
- Fever
- Asymmetrical labia
Surgical Treatment for Bartholin Cysts
When it comes to treatment, you can often treat a Bartholin cyst at home by use of warm compresses and sitz baths. However, in the case of an infected cyst or a large abscess, you may need to seek professional surgical treatment to recover.
What to Expect
Surgical treatment for a Bartholin cyst may sound frightening, but it isn’t – in fact, it’s an outpatient procedure that is usually done under local anesthesia while you are kept awake and comfortable. The procedure is minimally invasive and uses a laser to reduce the number of incisions that need to be made.
On the day of your procedure, you will go to the outpatient surgery center or doctor’s office, and you will get a review of the procedure. Then, the area will be numbed before local anesthesia is administered. Once it has taken effect, your doctor will begin removing the Bartholin cyst. This is done by creating small incisions in the cyst using a CO2 laser, then draining the fluid that is present within the cyst. The incisions and area are cleaned out well with a saline solution to remove any infection and fluid, and then the incisions are closed. The whole procedure typically takes less than ten minutes.
After the procedure, you may receive a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatment to the area to encourage healing.
Recovery
Recovery from a surgical Bartholin cyst removal is not usually long or difficult. In fact, after your procedure, you are allowed to return home. While at home, you can often reduce pain and swelling with cold compresses and over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol or Motrin. It is also important to take a sitz bath several times daily for at least four or five days. You will be advised to refrain from sexual activity for at least two or three weeks until your doctor confirms that you are healing properly. While rare, if the infection does occur, you will be provided with antibiotics to combat the infection.
If you would like to learn more about Bartholin cysts or the surgical procedure for removing them, please call the office of Dr. Ghozland today at 310-393-9359, and we will be happy to get you scheduled for a consultation.