Outpatient management of Bartholin’s cyst/abscess
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Outpatient management of Bartholin’s cyst/abscess as an alternative to treatment under general anaesthesia.
IRAS ID
181397
Contact name
Judith Hamilton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 30 days
Research summary
The Bartholin’s glands are pea sized and drain into the vaginal opening at 4 and 8 o’clock. They produce secretions that lubricate the vagina. When the glands become blocked a cyst forms which, if infected becomes an abscess. Currently the most common form of treatment in the UK is called marsupialisation usually under general anaesthetic.This is incision and drainage of the swelling and then stitches are placed at the edges to keep the duct open. Other methods of treatment already offered include marsupialisation under local anaesthetic or insertion of a word cathether under local anaesthetic which remains in place for 4 weeks to keep the duct open so that any further collection can drain.At present not every hospital in the UK offers outpatient management of Bartholin's cyst/abscess even though this form of management has been available for many years. In recent years there has been a rise in outpatient managment.
The purpose of this study is to assess patient acceptability of outpatient management of a first occurrence of a Bartholin’s swelling through the use of questionnaires.
As a secondary outcome we would like to compare how effective marsupialisation under local anaesthesia with outpatient insertion of the Word catheter, by looking at recurrence rate at 3 months.
We would also like to examine what influences patient’s choice of a particular management option.
The study will take place in a central London tertiary hospital and two other hospitals in Kent and Sussex .Patients will be asked to fill in questionnaires about their choice of treatment and will be followed up one week post procedure and three months post procedure.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NE/0316
Date of REC Opinion
9 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion