Definition: Pea-size cysts that frequently appear during the female reproductive years. Bartholin’s duct cysts or Bartholin’s gland cysts occur near the entrance to the vagina. The good news is that most women don’t experience any symptoms or pain. However, when Bartholin cysts or abscesses become large or infected a substantial amount of pain frequently develops. In fact, the excruciating pain associated with an enflamed or infected Bartholin gland is often the principal symptom that brings women to their health care professional. Less effective treatment of Bartholin’s gland cysts includes simple in-office lancing of the cyst or abscess because this procedure often increases the recurrence risk. The most effective, current, treatment results occur with in-office utilization of methods such as the Word catheter and marsupialization.
FYI: Caspar Bartholin (1585-1629) was a Danish doctor who discovered the Bartholin gland.
Reference: AAFP; Office Management of Bartholin Gland Cysts and Abscesses: Vol. 57/No. 7 April 1998; The Free Dictionary
Accessed: 12/02/2005
Published: 12/02/05
