A comparison of histopathologic findings of ovarian tissue inadvertently excised with endometrioma and other kinds of benign ovarian cyst in patients undergoing laparoscopy versus laparotomy.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate ovarian tissue inadvertently excised with benign cysts during laparotomy or laparoscopy. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Private and university hospitals. PATIENT(S) 260 women, 20 to 35 years old, with unilateral benign ovarian cysts. INTERVENTION(S) One hundred fifty women operated by laparoscopic cystectomy stripping technique, and 110 women operated by laparotomy with the same technique. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Histopathologic findings of ovarian tissue inadvertently excised in endometrioma compared with other kinds of benign cysts in laparoscopy versus laparotomy. RESULT(S) In the laparoscopy group, ovarian tissue was present in 65% of endometrioma and in 32% of nonendometriotic cysts. In the laparotomy group, ovarian tissue was seen in 80% of endometrioma and 41% of nonendometriotic cysts. CONCLUSION(S) The surgical approach had no statistically significant impact on conservation of ovarian reserves. The nature of the ovarian cyst played a greater role in the quality and quantity of the excised ovarian tissue.