Analysis of Late-Onset Ovarian Insufficiency after Ovarian Surgery: Retrospective Study with 75 Patients of Post-Surgical Ovarian Insufficiency

The primary objectives of the present study are to determine the period of onset of ovarian insufficiency after surgery and to confirm potential risk factors for ovarian insufficiency after surgery for the removal of benign ovarian cysts. Data were obtained from 75 patients who underwent surgery for benign ovarian cysts prior to the onset of ovarian insufficiency. Our analysis included 835 ovarian insufficiency patients who were referred to our institution from July 2003 to July 2013. Several epidemiological parameters of ovarian insufficiency after surgery (age at operation, period of onset of ovarian insufficiency, operation procedure, and pathological diagnosis) were investigated. Of the 835 patients who had ovarian insufficiency, 75 patients (9.0%) underwent ovarian surgery before the onset of ovarian insufficiency. Of those 75 patients, 66 patients (88.0%) underwent cystectomy. For the majority of the 75 patients the surgical indication was the presence of endometriotic cysts (57 patients; 76.0%). Twelve patients (16.0%) underwent multiple surgeries (all bilateral cystectomies). The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 27.8±5.5 years-old, and the mean period of onset of ovarian insufficiency was 5.8±3.8 years. In patients with cystectomy, the patient's age at the time of surgery and period of onset of ovarian insufficiency was well-correlated (coefficient of correlation; hemilateral endometriotic cystectomy: −0.64, bilateral endometriotic cystectomy: −0.61, and multiple endimetriotic cystectomy: −0.40). We found that cystectomy of endometriotic cysts is the potential risk factor for ovarian insufficiency after surgery, at times, the onset of ovarian insufficiency long after cystectomy. Therefore, it is important to monitor ovarian reserve for an extended period of time after ovarian surgery. It is particularly important to monitor ovarian reserve long-term for patients who wish to conceive in the future and to suggest a variety of infertility treatments appropriate for their ovarian reserve.