Suitable timing of surgical intervention for ruptured ovarian endometrioma

OBJECTIVE: Patients with a rare rupture of endometriomas may require surgery. In this retrospective study, we assessed the outcomes of surgical interventions for ruptured ovarian endometriomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three patients who underwent surgical intervention for ruptured ovarian endometriomas were studied. Depending on the latency to surgery and endometrioma recurrence, patients were divided into two groups, and then compared with respect to patient profiles, intraoperative findings, and outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty-one of the 43 patients had a known ovarian endometrioma with an average diameter of 6.04 cm. Seventeen (39.5%) patients had a recurrent ovarian tumor during the postoperative follow up. Patients who underwent surgery within 72 hours or after 72 hours showed no difference in baseline characteristics and most clinical outcomes, except for the choice of surgery (p = 0.003) and future fertility (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Comprehensive and early surgical intervention after endometrioma rupture can assist in excluding ovarian malignancy and can reduce the effects of cyst fluids, prevent adhesions, and preserve fertility.