[How to manage a symptomatic ovarian follicular cyst in a female child?]. / Que faire devant un kyste folliculaire ovarien symptomatique chez la petite fille?

BACKGROUND: --Ovarian cysts are common in childhood but most are non functioning. Treatment of those follicular cysts that develop in young children may be difficult. CASE REPORTS: Case no. 1.--A 1 1/2 month-old baby was admitted because of an acute abdominal syndrome. Ultrasonography showed a pelvic, heterogeneous mass without calcifications. Laparotomy showed right ovarian torsion with necrosis of a cyst requiring ovariectomy. At that time, there was an isolated increase in FSH after LHRH stimulation. A transitory premature thelarche without pubertal type response to LHRH was seen at the age of 3 months. Clinical and ultrasonographic controls remain normal with a follow-up of 1 year. Case no. 2.--A 4 yr 10 m-old girl was admitted because of an acute abdominal syndrome. Ovariectomy was necessary because laparotomy showed right ovarian torsion with necrosis of a cyst. Recurrent abdominal pain, 4 months later, was associated with an enlarged left ovary without sexual precocity. Gonadotropin were slightly increased after LHRH stimulation and the patient was given LHRH agonist that suppressed endogenous LHRH within 3 months. Clinical and ultrasonographic controls remain normal 1 year after cessation of treatment. Case no. 3.--A 19 month-old girl was admitted because of a genital hemorrhage with recent development of secondary sexual characteristics. Skeletal age was 2 yrs. Ultrasonography showed an enlarged uterus and a left ovarian cyst, heterogenous with calcifications. Plasma levels of estradiol were increased but gonadotropin were normal. Ovariectomy was performed, followed by disappearance of secondary sexual characteristics. However, the patient was given LHRH agonist at the age of 2 yr 7 mo because of recurrent pubertal activity. CONCLUSIONS: --These cases underline the difficulty in treating follicular cysts in young girls. The possibility of cyst recurrence with manifestations of pubertal activity after ovariectomy lead to discuss indication of LHRH agonists for an undetermined duration.