Clinical Features of Ovarian Tumors in 30 Children

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to review the clinical picture of ovarian tumors in children, especially in cases of ovarian torsion.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 30 children with ovarian tumors, who visited Oita Prefectural Hospital from April 1992 to March 2013.

Results: The mean age was 9.3 ± 3.6 years. There were slightly more patients with right ovarian tumors than those with left ovarian tumors. Twenty-five cases of benign neoplasms (83%), three cases of borderline tumors (10%), one case of malignancy, and one case of benign + malignancy (a case of both sides) were encountered. Recurrence was encountered in only one patient with immature teratoma with gliomatosis peritonei. No death occurred during this period. In twenty-three patients, the ovaries could be conserved; however, in eight patients, salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Fifteen patients (50%) with ovarian torsion were identified, and the mean diameters of the tumors in ovaries that need to be twisted were significantly smaller than those of the tumors in ovaries that do not need to be twisted. Moreover, the leukocyte counts of patients with tumors in ovaries that need to be twisted were significantly higher than those of patients with tumors in ovaries that do not need to be twisted. In most patients, it took over 24 hours from the onset of operation to the actual removal of the tumor, because it was difficult to distinguish the ovarian torsion from the disorders of digestive organs.

Conclusions: Half of the patients with ovarian tumors were complicated by ovarian torsion. The various symptoms mimicking gastrointestinal disease may lead to misdiagnosis. Therefore, we should always keep in mind ovarian torsion in females with lower abdominal pain.