Ultrasound‐guided aspiration of ovarian endometriotic cysts

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome of ultrasound-guided aspiration of ovarian endometriotic cysts. METHOD: Thirty-four patients with ovarian endometriomas were submitted to transvaginal (28 patients) or transabdominal (6 patients) ultrasound-guided aspiration of the cyst content, and then followed with serial ultrasonograms for a mean period of 12 months (range 6-20 months). RESULT: The procedure was successful in all cases, and no early complications occurred. The recurrence rate was 53%, and it was not influenced significantly by the preoperative or postoperative administration of medical suppressive therapy. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided aspiration of ovarian endometriomas yields a relatively high recurrence rate, and can be proposed as an alternative treatment when surgery is undesired or contraindicated.