Surgical characteristics and findings at pathology of women who underwent unilateral or bilateral oophorectomy
Characteristic | Unilateral oophorectomy (n=570) | Bilateral oophorectomy (n=1653) | ||
n | % | n | % | |
Prior gynaecological conditions | ||||
Ovarian cysts | ||||
No | 199 | 34.9 | 922 | 55.8 |
Yes | 371 | 65.1 | 731 | 44.2 |
Fallopian tube cysts | ||||
No | 522 | 91.6 | 1527 | 92.4 |
Yes | 48 | 8.4 | 126 | 7.6 |
Uterine fibroids | ||||
No | 420 | 73.7 | 674 | 40.8 |
Yes | 150 | 26.3 | 979 | 59.2 |
Prior gynaecological procedures | ||||
Prior tubal ligation or resection | ||||
No | 408 | 71.6 | 1027 | 62.1 |
Yes | 162 | 28.4 | 626 | 37.9 |
Prior ovarian resection | ||||
No | 525 | 92.1 | 1558 | 94.3 |
Yes | 45 | 7.9 | 95 | 5.7 |
Prior unilateral oophorectomy | ||||
No | 570 | 100.0 | 1503 | 90.9 |
Yes | – | – | 150 | 9.1 |
Oophorectomy | ||||
Laterality* | ||||
Right | 280 | 49.1 | 84 | 5.1 |
Left | 290 | 50.9 | 66 | 4.0 |
Both | – | – | 1503 | 90.9 |
Indication for oophorectomy† | ||||
Benign condition | 509 | 89.3 | 675 | 40.8 |
Benign tumour | 339 | 59.5 | 382 | 23.1 |
Cyst or endometriosis | 146 | 25.6 | 285 | 17.2 |
Other‡ | 24 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.5 |
No ovarian indication | 61 | 10.7 | 978 | 59.2 |
Pathology of the removed ovaries§ | ||||
Ovarian cancer | 11 | 1.9 | 25 | 1.5 |
Benign condition | 415 | 72.8 | 779 | 47.1 |
Benign tumour | 158 | 27.7 | 164 | 9.9 |
Cyst or endometriosis¶ | 219 | 38.4 | 575 | 34.8 |
Other** | 38 | 6.7 | 40 | 2.4 |
Normal | 144 | 25.3 | 847 | 51.2 |
Pathology unavailable | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0.1 |
Hysterectomy | ||||
Hysterectomy status | ||||
None | 305 | 53.5 | 24 | 1.5 |
Before | 42 | 7.4 | 157 | 9.5 |
Concurrent | 223 | 39.1 | 1472 | 89.1 |
Indication for concurrent hysterectomy†† | ||||
Cancer | 3 | 0.5 | 11 | 0.7 |
Suspicion of cancer‡‡ | 86 | 15.1 | 311 | 18.8 |
Bleeding | 124 | 21.8 | 834 | 50.5 |
Pain | 107 | 18.8 | 590 | 35.7 |
Fibroids or polyps | 51 | 8.9 | 418 | 25.3 |
Prolapse | 38 | 6.7 | 337 | 20.4 |
Endometriosis | 23 | 4.0 | 201 | 12.2 |
Anaemia | 9 | 1.6 | 63 | 3.8 |
Family history of cancer | 0 | 0.0 | 35 | 2.1 |
Menstrual migraine | 1 | 0.2 | 29 | 1.8 |
Premenstrual syndrome | 0 | 0.0 | 27 | 1.6 |
Other§§ | 9 | 1.6 | 83 | 5.0 |
Pathology of the removed uterus¶¶ | ||||
Cancer | 4 | 0.7 | 40 | 2.4 |
Fibroids or polyps | 125 | 21.9 | 938 | 56.7 |
Endometriosis | 17 | 3.0 | 220 | 13.3 |
Adenomyosis | 24 | 4.2 | 223 | 13.5 |
Other*** | 17 | 3.0 | 94 | 5.7 |
Normal | 67 | 11.8 | 330 | 20.0 |
*For bilateral oophorectomy, laterality refers to the second unilateral oophorectomy in the 150 women who had a prior unilateral oophorectomy.
†The indication was listed by the gynaecologist in the medical record at the time of oophorectomy. For women with different indications in the two ovaries, we reported the most severe indication (only one indication for each woman, in the order shown).
‡Torsion, tubo-ovarian abscess, ectopic pregnancy, placenta previa, pelvic congestion, pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic abdominal pain, post-hysterectomy vaginal bleeding and other rare indications.
§The pathology results were determined by a pathologist following the surgery. For women with different pathology in the two ovaries, we reported the most severe pathology (only one pathology for each woman, in the order shown). Women with cancer as the indication for oophorectomy were excluded; however, some women with benign ovarian indication or no ovarian indication had ovarian cancer or metastasis to the ovaries discovered at pathology.
¶Among the 219 women with unilateral oophorectomy, 139 had only cysts, 25 had only endometriosis and 55 had both cysts and endometriosis. Among the 575 women with bilateral oophorectomy, 321 had only cysts, 120 had only endometriosis and 134 had both cysts and endometriosis.
**Torsion, ectopic pregnancy, haemorrhage, infarction, fistula, ovarian fibrosis, hyperthecosis, giant cell reaction and other rare pathologies.
††The indication was listed by the gynaecologist in the medical record at the time of hysterectomy. Each woman may have more than one hysterectomy indication recorded.
‡‡Adnexal, pelvic and uterine masses not specified as benign or cancer.
§§Infection or inflammation, uterine cyst, benign tumour, adenomyosis, cervical neoplasia, myohypertrophy, placenta accreta or percreta and other rare indications.
¶¶The pathology results were determined by a pathologist following the surgery. Each woman may have more than one pathology.
***Infection or inflammation, uterine cyst, benign tumour, bicornuate uterus, cervical neoplasia, myohypertrophy, placenta accreta or percreta and other rare pathologies.