Misdiagnoses of Ovarian Masses in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Ovarian masses often present with abdominal complaints that can mimic other diseases, in particular, appendicitis. Although considered relatively uncommon, in our hospital, they comprised one fifth as many admissions as did appendicitis in females during the study period. In females that present with a clinical picture consistent with appendicitis, ovarian masses should be considered in the differential and a computed tomography scan or ultrasound should be obtained.

Adnexal masses in adolescent girls with pelvic pain: Report on 63 cases

“…Most authorities agree that the adolescent female presenting with a painful adnexal mass could be an ideal candidate for laparoscopic surgery [11][12][13]. The overall laparoscopic surgery rate for suspected ovarian neoplasm was 91.8% in our study, which showed that adolescent women were less likely to undergo an emergency laparotomy.…”

Ovarian Torsion in a Three-Year-Old Girl

“…In one study, 38% of 51 females previously diagnosed with appendicitis were later determined to have an ovarian mass as the source of their pain (2). In children, however, torsion may occur even with normal ovaries.…”

Ovarian pathologies in childhood

“…As many various symptoms can be seen, the most common of them is abdominal pain. The pain is usually due to complications [9]. Torsion, haemorrhage or rupture due to mass can cause acute abdomen presentation [4,5,6,10].…”

“…Ovarian mass patients are frequently misdiagnosed with acute appendicitis [9,12]. Ovary-sparing surgery is recommended for preservation of fertility and hormonal functions [12].…”