Bartholin's cyst
| Bartholin's cyst | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Bartholin duct cyst, Bartholin gland cyst, cyst of Bartholin gland, bartholinitis |
| Drawing of a Bartholin's cyst on the person's right side | |
| Specialty | Gynecology |
| Symptoms | Swelling of one side of the vaginal opening, pain, sometimes no symptoms |
| Complications | Abscess |
| Usual onset | Childbearing age |
| Causes | Unknown |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms and examination |
| Differential diagnosis | Sebaceous cyst, hernia, hidradenitis suppurativa, folliculitis, vulvar cancer, hematoma, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital wart |
| Treatment | Placement of a Word catheter, incision and drainage, marsupialization, sitz baths |
| Frequency | 2% of women |
A Bartholin's cyst occurs when a Bartholin's gland within the labia becomes blocked. Small cysts may result in minimal or no symptoms. Larger cysts may result in swelling on one side of the vaginal opening, as well as pain during sex or walking. If the cyst becomes infected, an abscess can occur, which is typically red and very painful. If there are no symptoms, no treatment is needed. Bartholin's cysts affect about 2% of women at some point in their life. They most commonly occur during childbearing years.
When the cyst becomes uncomfortable or painful, drainage is recommended. The preferred method is the insertion of a Word catheter for four weeks, as recurrence following simple incision and drainage is common. A surgical procedure known as marsupialization may be used or, if the problems persist, the entire gland may be removed. Removal is sometimes recommended in those older than 40 to ensure cancer is not present. Antibiotics are not generally needed to treat a Bartholin's cyst.
The cause of a Bartholin's cyst is unknown. An abscess results from a bacterial infection, but it is not usually a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Rarely, gonorrhea may be involved. Diagnosis is typically based on symptoms and examination. In women over the age of 40, a tissue biopsy is often recommended to rule out cancer.
The cyst is named after Caspar Bartholin who accurately described the glands in 1677. The underlying mechanism of the cyst was determined in 1967 by the obstetrician Samuel Buford Word.