abstract: Characteristics and management of adnexal masses in a canadian pediatric and adolescent population.

"(Results)....Surgical approaches included cystectomy, oophorectomy, or detorsion. Twelve percent of surgeries were for malignancies, representing 7.0% of all adnexal masses, and malignant masses were larger than benign masses (16.1 cm vs. 10.5 cm, P < 0.05)."

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether there were differences in presentation, imaging, and tumour markers between pediatric and adolescent gynaecology patients with adnexal masses managed expectantly and those managed surgically.

METHODS:

We conducted a retrospective review of patients who presented to the pediatric and adolescent gynaecology service with adnexal masses between January 2003 and January 2006 at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.

CONCLUSION:

Larger masses and masses associated with increased abdominal girth or abnormal tumour markers were more likely to be managed by surgical intervention. Surgically managed patients had more investigations. Forty-one percent of masses in patients referred to pediatric and adolescent gynaecology specialists resolved with expectant management.