Nausea Fever Unexplained abdominal swelling Annual pelvic exams are encouraged to detect ovarian cysts, though some types may have to be removed. To determine whether a cyst requires treatment, practitioners will usually have you wait a cycle or two for it to disappear. If symptoms persist, an ultrasound may be used to augment the pelvic exam. A pathological cyst, such as a dermoid cyst, a cyst of endometriosis, or cancer is removed. Such pathological cysts should be removed.
Practitioners disagree about the necessity of removing benign cysts.
Small functional cysts do not usually cause problems and may be left alone. A large cyst is more of a health risk because it can rupture, causing severe abdominal pain and sometimes bleeding. A large cyst may also twist and damage the blood supply to the ovary. These two uncommon situations require prompt surgery. If your physician advises removal of the ovary along with the benign cyst, get a second opinion.