Incidental adnexal masses at cesarean section and review of the literature

Abstract

To study the outcome of cases of incidental adnexal masses detected during cesarean section. A total of 126 093 live births and 39 115 cesarean deliveries performed between 2002 and 2008 were retrospectively evaluated and cases with additional adnexal masses and surgical interventions were included in the study. Histopathologic assessment and related outcomes were examined. One hundred and nineteen patients had incidental adnexal masses at the time of cesarean delivery; the incidence of adnexal masses was 1/329. The most common histopathologic diagnoses were mature cystic teratoma (32%) and functional cysts (26%). Six cases (5%) were bilateral. The mean cyst size was 6.4 cm; two of the masses were malignant. Incidental masses detected at the time of cesarean section should be extirpated in order to exclude the possibility of malignancy and to avoid additional surgical procedures following cesarean section.