ABSTRACT
Objective: The objective of this study was to study the frequency of different symptoms, patient characteristics, clinical presentations and outcome in women who underwent laparotomy for adnexal masses suspected as ovarian tumors.
Methodology: Study Design: Observational descriptive study
Patients and Methods: From Jan 2012 to Dec 2012, 57 patients with palpable adnexal masses were admitted in Gynae unit II of DHQ Hospital Faisalabad. All those patients who underwent laparotomy for adnexal masses suspected as ovarian tumors, were included. 24/57 fulfilled the selection criteria. The demographic data of patients included [i-e; age, marital status, parity, blood group], personal and family history, presenting clinical symptoms, pre-operative ultrasound characteristics of adnexal masses, their per-operative gross appearance and finally histo-pathologic diagnosis
Exclusion Criteria: Patients with simple cysts on scan, who were managed conservatively and then discharged. All pregnant women [e.g; chronic ectopic, ruptured ectopic and those with intra uterine normal pregnancy but with an adnexal mass or cyst], and where data was not available or who were lost to follow up, were excluded from the study
Results: 42% [24/57] of women with palpable adnexal masses underwent laparotomy. On histopathologic examination 80% were benign and 20% were malignant. The majority of patients were in reproductive age group. 58% [14/24] were multipara, 29% [7/24] were nullipara, 12% [3/24] were single. Almost all [100%] patients were symptomatic at the time of presentation. 20% were postmenopausal, and the large adnexal mass turned out to be malignant ovarian tumor in 100% of postmenopausal women
Conclusion: Adnexal masses commonly affected the relatively younger women. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom. Ovarian malignancy was exceptional in younger groups but more frequently seen in postmenopausal women