Clinical characteristics of adnexal masses in Korean children and adolescents: retrospective analysis of 409 cases.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the clinical characteristics of young Korean female children and adolescents who underwent surgery because of adnexal masses during the last 14 years.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Three hundred ninety-six young female patients aged 20 years or younger who underwent surgery because of adnexal masses between January 1995 and March 2009.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
For over 14 years, 396 young patients underwent 409 operations because of adnexal masses (13 patients underwent 2 separate operations). Abdominal pain (n = 184 [45.0%]) was the most common initial symptom and was more frequent in group 1 (<11 years of age; n = 26 [70.4%]) than in group 2 (11-20 years of age; n = 370; [ 43.2%]) (p<.01). In group 2, menstrual problems were the second most common initial symptom (n = 80 [20.9%]), followed by incidental detection (n = 57; [14.9%]). In patients with malignant neoplasms, the incidence of menstrual problems was lower (p<.01) and abdominal distention was more common (p<.01) than in patients with benign neoplasms. The incidence of malignant neoplasms in our study was 14.9% and was correlated with increased mass size (p<.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Knowing the clinical characteristics of young Korean females with adnexal masses will provide insight into the evaluation and surgical management of children and adolescents.
Department of Obstetrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Gangnam-nu, Seoul, South Korea.
UiNam
U
Ryoo
Dong-Yun
DY
Lee
Duk-Soo
DS
Bae
Byung-Koo
BK
Yoon
DooSeok
D
Choi
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000291:Adnexal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D010052:Ovariectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult