Chocolate Cysts: Symptoms And Treatment In India

Noncancerous cysts packed with fluid called “chocolate cysts” commonly develop deep into the ovaries. Their tar-like brown colour and somewhat melted chocolate appearance are why they got this name. They are also known as ovarian endometriomas.

The tissue that lines the cyst’s cavity and the blood from previous period cycles give the area its colour. One or both ovaries may be affected by this condition, which can also manifest as a single or several cysts. Let’s learn more about chocolate cysts, its symptoms and treatment in detail.  

What Is Chocolate Cyst?

Endometriosis is a common condition in which the uterine lining, also known as the endometrium, grows outside the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and other parts of the reproductive tract. This lining’s overgrowth results in severe discomfort and sometimes infertility. One type of endometriosis is called chocolate cysts. They are often linked with more severe types of the disorder.

Chocolate Cysts Symptoms

While some women may experience chocolate cysts symptoms, others may not have any symptoms at all. When chocolate cysts symptoms show up, they resemble endometriosis symptoms which consist of:

• Crampy, painful period
• Pelvic discomfort that is unrelated to your period
• Infertility for some women due to irregular period 
• Pain during sex

Having a cyst rupture might be life-threatening. Hence, if you notice any of these chocolate cyst symptoms, get medical help right away.

Causes Of Chocolate Cysts

How and why chocolate cysts arise are widely debated. According to one idea, they might be the outcome of endometriosis. The linings of these cysts behave quite similarly to the uterine lining. In reaction to the monthly period cycle and fluctuating hormones, it grows and then sheds. This tissue becomes entrapped inside the cyst’s cavity rather than leaving the body. It can cause inflammation and disturb the ovaries in that particular area.

How Are Chocolate Cysts Diagnosed?

A pelvic ultrasound will be prescribed by your doctor if:

• During a pelvic examination, doctors find a cyst, and based on your symptoms, they believe you have endometriosis.
• A cyst is found with  during an ultrasound. However, it can’t always be determined what kind of cyst it is until further examination.

Your doctor will remove fluid and debris from the cyst in order to make a conclusive diagnosis of a chocolate cyst. Typically, a biopsy with a needle is used for this.

Your doctor will utilise ultrasonography during a needle biopsy to guide the placement of the needle into the ovarian cyst through the vagina. The fluid is then put under a microscope for examination. The results of the needle biopsy might be used by your doctor to determine the type of cyst.

Chocolate Cysts Treatment

The following factors will depend on the course of chocolate cysts treatment:

• Your age and symptoms
• Whether one or both ovaries are impacted

A watch-and-wait strategy may be suggested by your doctor if the cyst is small and not causing any symptoms. Additionally, they might suggest ovulation-inhibiting drugs like the birth control pill. Cystic growth can be slowed down and discomfort managed, but cysts cannot be cured.

Some women are often advised to undergo surgery termed an ovarian cystectomy to remove the cysts if they have:

• Unpleasant symptoms
• Larger than 4 cm cysts, especially those that may be malignant.
• Infertility

Laparoscopy is typically used throughout the procedure. A laparoscope is a long, thin tube with a camera and light at the end that aids medical professionals in performing the process. It is implanted via a very little cut. 

Even when the surgeon is extremely proficient, the cyst and healthy ovarian tissue can still be removed. That might make the ovarian function worse. However, a chocolate cyst’s inflammatory and toxic environment can be more detrimental to fertility than surgery. Before starting therapy, discuss all of your options and worries with your doctor to avoid any hussle in future. 

Effect Of Chocolate Cysts On Infertility

Chocolate cysts have the ability to penetrate, harm, and engulf healthy ovarian tissue. A woman’s fertility may be seriously threatened by this. These cysts can be challenging to treat, and the pelvic operations required to manage or remove them can impair fertility and leave ovarian tissue scarred. Women with chocolate cysts are more likely to have the following traits than women without them:

• Less eggs
• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels that are greater in eggs that are less likely to mature may be an indication of issues with the ovaries.

Many women with chocolate cysts are able to become pregnant spontaneously despite the harm they cause to the ovaries.

Note that if you struggle to get pregnant and have chocolate cysts, In Vitro fertilisation (IVF) can be an additional alternative. According to research, IVF results with these cysts are comparable to those with tubal factor infertility in terms of pregnancy, implantation, and delivery rates. Women with endometriosis often have chocolate cysts. Medication can sometimes be used to treat such chocolate cysts symptoms. The cysts may need to be removed in some circumstances. Discuss your treatment with your doctor. If you intend to or are thinking about having children in the future, let them know. This will assist them in creating an effective chocolate cysts treatment plan for you.