Surgery Gartner cyst

[Serenitesocks]

Name changed and posting here for traffic.

In brief I have a v large gartner cyst that is being removed in a few weeks.

I was expecting a simple day procedure under local anesthetic but been told by Gynaecologist that it’s at least an overnight stay under a General anesthetic.

I can find nothing much under a Google search about this or on here, it’s mostly medical articles or things to do with other types of cyst. I understand it may go quite far into my pelvis. I’ve had MRI scan already.

Has anyone had this procedure, I’m trying to find out the recovery times, pain and generally how people came through it. I really want this done as it is so uncomfortable and unpleasant but need to plan childcare, driving to school and so on.

Really hoping someone can advise.

Hoping for replies

One more try, fingers crossed 🤞

Sorry cant help with this but hope someone comes on who can. Good luck.

Thank you - don’t know what to think, no one seems to have had to deal with this.

If asking on mumsnet doesn’t work …… 🤷‍♀️

I don’t have experience of this type of cyst but I’m wondering if it will need to be “packed”, which may be why they an overnight stay might be necessary. Generally this allows for there to be less likelihood of the cyst reoccurring.

If nobody comes along here with any advice try your GP practice nurse? I’m sure they’ll know generally how things are sorted.

Good luck!

I don't know about your cyst, by dh had a cyst that was packed and left open to heal from the inside out. It took three weeks and I sorry to say the packing looked v painful fir the first few weeks. He was off work for three months. His wound smelt very bad too. If you need it packed I woukd strongly advise you to ask these questions and prepaire pain relief

Thank you both.
Am trying to get prepared especially with childcare.
Will probably Google this ‘packing’ even though I don’t really want to see anything.

Ive never had a General Anesthetic or any surgery, so I’m anxious and worrying about pain.

Don't Google too much. With packing after the op while your under they pack gauze into the wound. It's like a long thin bandage that they feed right into the wound as deep as the cyst tracked. The first packing for dh was two metres long. They couldn't get as much in when he was conscious. They will repack when your still in hospital. Ask for pain relief before, ask if they can numb you in anyway if they can, if not maybe even ask for gas and air. The first time is the worst as you have no idea what to expect. After that as the wound heals inside to outside they put less packing in, it gets less painful. Not least because district nurses come to your home and they tended to be less diligent on the amount, i think the first nurse knew how much the surgeon put in and took it as a challenge. You can't get the packing wet, it's hard to wash.

I really hope you don't need this but it's not too bad after the first few repacks. Just remember that, it only gets easier.

But definitely do ask if they are going to do. If they say yes, be insistent on your pain relief options. I really hope it goes well. Just remember it's worth it as the alternative is much worse to leave it. Really dont want to worry you but dh found it a real shock as had no warning of what the aftercare was. He had zero pain relief. Not ideal. Dont do that. If he had known he would he would asked for pain relief that first time. After that he didnt need it. Everything crossed for you.

Ask for fibrin glue instead of traditional packing.

It heals much better, quicker and with little risk of infection.

Not necessarily, post gynae surgery care isn't typically in a practice nurse's remit. OP, contact the gynaecologists secretary to ask for more information about the surgery, if you don't get some answers here. Hope all goes well for you.

Thanks so much for replying. Your poor husband dyslexicposter! I hope he’s much better and feeling the benefit of the operation.
Goodness I don’t know what to think.

I’m not dealing with any of the nurses at GP, it’s a consultant urogynocologist is dealing with it. They were wondering if the cyst was wrapped around the urethra or if it was urethra diverticulum.

But apparently not, it’s a Gartner Cyst, horrible and uncomfortable. I’ll be so glad to have it removed but I’m the type who needs to research so I know what to expect and I can find barely anything on this, it’s so odd.

Yes dh is fine now. He had recurring issues with the cyst until surgery and touch wood it's been completely fine now for years. They said it was ingrown hairs but since having kids there is a degree of spina bifida in two of the kids. So maybe it was sinus?

Do ask who ever is arranging the op. Sometimes you want to know to prepair and sometimes you don't want to know. I like to know, I feel much better and in control if I know a bit more. I think that helps to feel relaxed to.

Dhs was on the base of his spin by his waist band. No idea where it had tracked to but it was all very sudden and he had emergency surgery the night he saw the gp for minor pain. Yours will be better as its all planned. Is there a secretary number? Ask if they could get someone to give you a call.

DD had this and has recently had surgery.She was initially going to be a day case but once under anaesthetic the gynae surgeon changed plans and she was woken up intact! Her eventual surgery was a few weeks ago ; she had 2 nights in hospital after the operation. She woke in a lot of discomfort and with a urinary catheter in. She rapidly recovered, had a few days off work and then a few days on light duties. Fine now .

I had one removed couple of years ago. Was indeed a day case, the worst bit was vomiting form the anaesthetic but I was discharged before tea and eating an hour later. No pain at all, I had no paracetamol at all, couldn't believe how easily I recovered. Hoping it goes well for you! Let me know if you have any questions.

I only work part time, so didn't have any sickness absence afterwards. Think the op was on a Wednesday and I was back at work on the Monday as normal. Possibly if I was full time I'd have stayed off Thursday / Friday, but actually I equally I could have worked if I'd needed to when it came to it.

Not sure what the poster above is meaning regarding the packing. Whatever I had obviously just dissolved and didn't need changing or anything. Maybe mine was just really straightforward, maybe I was lucky, I don't know.

Hey op.

I've just had a urethral diverticulium removed with a cyst, and repaired, sounds like a similar experience to what you are facing. I had a lot of internal stitches due to then needing to use gynae parts of me to fix the urology side, I guess it's one of those ops where the 2 worlds collide!

I did indeed have a lot of packing that needed removing the next day. Advice I can give you about that part is as follows (bit graphic)

There is a shit tonne of it, and, unbeknown to me it dries out and when that happens it bloody hurts because it's rubbing on skin and causing friction. If you start to feel that ask them to check it and put some saline in it (the relief was unreal!!!) I did not respond to morphine after my surgery sadly so had a shitty night.

Once the packing was removed the relief was immense.
I had the op in Thursday, went home Friday lunch time and by Saturday I didn't need any pain relief. I had a catheter as mine wasn't gynae it was urology and that stayed in for 10 days and was fine tbh.
My stitches have all pretty much dissolved now but I have one wound which is niggling from the pad they made which I think I need to get checked out.

Other than feeling like I had an op for 48 hours, I was then pretty much ok. Pain has been minimal and manageable.

Hope that might help a bit!

Oh and more to add after re reading your post!

I have a 4 week sick note (just started week 3) and as I have a very manual job I have to be on light duties for 4 weeks after that so I don't tear sparkly new urethra they have made me 🤣🤣

The one thing I didn't plan for is how wiped out I was (tired) for about a week after. No pain, just wiped. Lots of early nights!
I was also told no baths and no swimming and I cannot "use" my vagina for 8 weeks.
My period was due a few days after my op, it didn't start, but did a week later and lasted longer than normal. I did also have a week of bleeding after the op too, (it was quite obvious it wasn't like a period so I could distinguish the 2)
Oh an also, hopefully they discharge you with a shed load of laxatives to ease any force causing any ripping of stitches, use them!

Re packing; DD's packing was removed while she was still on the ward.

Ladies thank you so very much for taking the time to write this all out.
I am really glad to have the response and hope you’re all feeling better.
What I expect is a mixture of what you and the op DD has been through.
I was offered appt in two weeks but as I’m going on holiday over the Easter break the dr thought it better to wait to after. There must be some recovery in it. I’m going in straight after.

Am quite worried about it and I’m not the worrying kind. I’ve had sections and been through them flying but never an operation or a general anesthetic and I guess I’m just a bit scared. Am scared for pain afterwards, but I guess I have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
I wonder how much I’ll be able to do after, driving the children to school, exercise and usual things. To have four week off sick line is implying a certain recovery and then 4 weeks light duties!
It seems odd there is so little on the Internet about it, it must be quite a rare operation.
The dr told me there’s a chance I’ll need a catheter for a while afterwards, I confess I don’t even know how that all would work 🫣 another thing to Google

The catheter is really easy to be honest.
You have a bag and it has a tap attached like when you buy a box of wine 🤣
A day one with straps on your leg so you don't have to carry it and a night one with a long tube which holds more and you sleep.
Just empty them during the day.

And when you shower, just unplug all bag and have the leads free ☺️ (do it over the bath when you disconnect it!!!)

Mine is rare too, apparently only 150 people a year!
And I promise, pain has been bare minimal. I think the rest period is because it's such a delicate tube they don't want it to tear and for it to heal properly, and with my job (emergency services) I don't sit still for long 🤣

Wishing you all the best! ☺️☺️

My friend had a catheter after a few gyne ops and thought it was wonderful. No queues for loos for a start. Stops burning sensation etc.

I don't like the fear of the unknown either.

Thank you both so much, you really have been so thoughtful and having this has really helped. I’m going to put it out of my mind until after Easter and then I’ll handle it! Will live in the day.
Thank you 😉

@Serenitesocks how large was it please?
I have been to many appointments and they finally think I have one of these.
I had an mri without contrast dye which shows it there but will need to be repeated with contract.
Also how did they find it was it causing discomfort? Thank you

Hi mine was significantly large, grapefruit sized I think but I can’t remember the cm size.
The discomfort I told them! It was horrible and very uncomfortable to sit or do anything by the time the surgery came around.
I came through the surgery well, but had two nights in hospital and it took a full 6 week recovery- I did too much in the first couple days and that set me back.
I hope all goes well for you, the MRI scans are necessary to see where it is, to ensure it’s not around/near anything, mine was near urethra which made things a bit more complicated.

Oh wow thank you so much for sharing.
Yes they know where it is as they seen on first MRI but just making sure it's nothing else sinister I think and the apparently the dye helps.
How do they remove is it a low abdominal incision? Thank you so much for sharing.