What Is an Ovarian Cyst?

Few lines on a scan report cause as much quiet worry as "ovarian cyst seen." It sounds serious, and the internet rarely helps. In reality, a cyst is simply a fluid-filled sac that has formed on or inside an ovary, and most of them are a normal side-effect of how ovaries work each month. The short recording above, at just over a minute, shows the other end of the story: an ovarian cyst being removed with a laparoscopic (keyhole) technique, in an operation called a cystectomy. Before anyone gets there, though, it helps to clear away a few common myths.

Myth: a cyst is a growth that must come out

Most ovarian cysts are what clinicians call functional cysts. Each month, an egg develops inside a small fluid-filled follicle in the ovary; sometimes that follicle doesn't release the egg or doesn't dissolve afterwards as it should, and a cyst is what remains. These usually cause no symptoms at all — many are only noticed because a scan was done for another reason — and they typically shrink away on their own over the following weeks. Treatment, in other words, is often just a follow-up scan to confirm the cyst has gone. Cysts linked to other conditions do exist; the chocolate cysts sometimes found alongside endometriosis, covered in our guide to what endometriosis is, are one example your doctor may mention.

Fact: how a cyst is found shapes what happens next

If you do have symptoms, they're usually vague ones — a dull pelvic ache, bloating, a feeling of fullness, or pain that comes and goes. Because those complaints have many possible causes, the cyst is normally characterised with an ultrasound scan, which shows its size and whether it looks like a simple fluid-filled sac or something more complex. That appearance, your age, and whether you're having symptoms are what guide the plan: watch and rescan, repeat blood tests in some cases, or discuss removal. Sudden, severe pelvic pain — especially with feeling faint, vomiting, or fever — is different; that needs urgent medical attention the same day.

Myth: removal means losing the ovary

When surgery is discussed, the usual aim is cystectomy: removing just the cyst and leaving the ovary itself in place wherever that's safely possible. As the anchor video shows, this is commonly done laparoscopically, through small keyhole cuts, with the surgeon working from a camera view of the pelvis. The ovary is opened carefully, the cyst is freed and removed, and the remaining ovarian tissue is left to heal. Removal of the whole ovary is generally reserved for situations where the ovary itself is badly damaged or the cyst can't be separated from it. For a longer look at the same keyhole approach, the site's Laparoscopic Removal of Ovarian Cyst recording, at just over four minutes, follows a removal in more detail.

Fact: most cysts never need an operation at all

It's worth ending where most cyst stories actually end: with reassurance and a rescan date. If your report mentions a small, simple-looking cyst and you feel well, watchful waiting is not your team doing nothing — it's the standard, sensible response to a finding that very often resolves by itself. What matters is keeping the follow-up appointment, so the change can be documented rather than guessed at, and mentioning any new or worsening pain in between. Your own clinician, who can see your scans, is the right person to interpret what your particular cyst means.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do ovarian cysts cause symptoms?

Often they don't. Many are found by chance on a scan done for another reason. When symptoms do occur they're usually a dull pelvic ache, bloating, or a sense of fullness, which is why a scan — rather than symptoms alone — is used to characterise a cyst.

Will an ovarian cyst go away on its own?

Many functional cysts do. They form as part of the monthly cycle and commonly shrink away over the following weeks, which is why a follow-up scan after an interval is a frequent recommendation instead of immediate treatment.

What is an ovarian cystectomy?

It is an operation to remove just the cyst while preserving the ovary where possible. It is commonly performed laparoscopically, through small keyhole incisions, as shown in the video at the top of this article.

When should I seek help urgently?

Seek urgent care for sudden, severe pelvic pain, especially if it comes with feeling faint, vomiting, or fever. Those symptoms need same-day assessment rather than watchful waiting.

MedicalVideos.com has published trusted medical videos since 2007. The site was founded by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician-scientist.

Educational only — this article is general information about ovarian cysts, not medical advice and not a diagnosis. If you have an ovarian cyst or pelvic symptoms, talk to your treating team, who know your situation.