Patient's question:
Recurrent Bartholin gland cyst, it has occurred 7 times already, it's unbearable! I've had incision and drainage, and fistula creation, but none of them worked!Onset and duration of this episode: It has flared up again. The doctor said because of the repeated episodes, there's no intact gland left, so surgery can't be performed. On July 1st, I had incision and drainage and changed the dressing every other day. Each time, I used cotton swabs dipped in iodine for disinfection, followed by gentamicin disinfection, and then filled the abscess cavity with gauze soaked in gentamicin. However, after two weeks, pus still drained out every time, and the cavity was very large. The doctor said new tissue needs to grow from the bottom bit by bit until the cavity is filled. But based on the current situation, I really don't know how many months it will take to heal, and it's very easy to get reinfected during menstruation.
Doctor's answer:
Hello, under normal circumstances, the Bartholin's glands are invisible and cannot be felt. However, if they become inflamed due to infection or form scars from trauma, leading to the obstruction of the duct openings; or if there is perineal laceration during childbirth; or if the gland ducts are damaged during a perineal episiotomy and the duct openings are obstructed after suture, the secretions cannot be expelled and accumulate inside, causing the gland to swell and form a cyst. When the cyst grows larger, it becomes externally protruded, making it visible and palpable—this is known as a Bartholin's gland cyst. Initially, its size is similar to a date or pigeon egg, painless and asymptomatic, so it is often discovered by gynecologists. This type of cyst grows very slowly and rarely reaches the size of an egg, and it is mostly unilateral.If the cyst is small, without symptoms, and does not cause any issues, no treatment is necessary, and surgery is not required. Simply maintaining good external hygiene and regular medical check-ups are sufficient. However, if the cyst is large or grows rapidly and causes symptoms such as local heaviness, discomfort during intercourse, or other issues, treatment should be administered. The treatment for Bartholin's gland cyst involves draining the cyst by making an incision and then stitching the edges with 6–8 stitches to prevent the wound from closing and allowing secretions to accumulate again. After surgery, maintaining local hygiene is important. Use a 1/5000 potassium permanganate solution for sitz baths after each bowel or bladder movement to prevent infection.
Do not panic—your emotions can also affect the condition. It is recommended that you cooperate with your doctor and actively pursue treatment.