Bartholin’s Duct Cyst: Treatment, Surgery, Home Remedy, Recovery, Prevention

Usually, the bartholin’s duct cyst needs no treatment if it is small in size or is not painful. The treatment will entirely depend on the size of the bartholin duct cyst and whether there is any swelling or pain. If you feel any kind of problem in sitting or walking, you will have to take the advice of the doctor who can offer the right medications and treatments. This article explains about the treatment for bartholin’s duct cyst, surgery, home remedy, recovery, prevention and prognosis.

There are different kinds of treatments depending upon the severity of the bartholin’s duct cyst.

• Sitz Bath Treatment for Bartholin’s Duct Cyst: Your doctor may ask you to go for sitz bath for treating bartholin’s duct cyst wherein you will have to soak the affected area in lukewarm water. This is suited only if the size is too small as sitz bath will cure the bartholin cyst in some days.
• Surgical Drainage for Treating Bartholin’s Duct Cyst: The next is the surgical drainage for the treatment of bartholin’s duct cyst which is done by the experts only if the size of the cyst is quite large. Local anaesthesia is given to perform the surgery. In this process, the doctor will make a thin cut into the bartholin’s duct cyst so that it drains out easily. Then a rubber tube is placed there while the catheter will be still there for the next six weeks. Thus the cyst will drain out completely thus curing the problem.
• Antibiotics for Treating Bartholin’s Duct Cyst: If the bartholin’s duct cyst is caused due to the sexual intercourse, the doctor may prescribe medications that are helpful in treating it. Sometimes the abscess is also drained ad in such a case you need not go for any antibiotics.
• Marsupialization Treatment for Bartholin’s Duct Cyst: This is the next treatment for the bartholin’s duct cyst and helps in curing it of the root cause. An incision is made on both the sides of the vaginal opening to allow drainage. This incision is permanently but quite small for about 1/4-inch (about 6 millimetres) long. The catheter will still be placed and continue for next few weeks until the fluid is drained out from the glands and the openings are clear. In this treatment, there are no chances of bartholin’s duct cyst recurrence.

Once the doctor diagnoses your condition, they can better advise you on the right treatment. Usually, the surgical drainage is the best option for bartholin’s duct cyst and may be recommended for the swelling and pain continues for a long time. The process is performed under the guidance of the experts only. But as such there is no guarantee of the procedure as the bartholin’s duct cyst may develop again.

Surgery is certainly the most suited options for treating bartholin’s duct cyst as it helps in draining the pus and also the chances of the developing the bartholin’s duct cyst again gets reduced to a large extent.

Marsupialization is a surgical treatment for the bartholin’s duct cyst. It is quite an old treatment, but an efficient one. In this process, the local anaesthesia is first given to the patient and then a small incision is done in the bartholin’s duct cyst or even near the vaginal opening. All the pus or fluid inside it will drain out and then stitches are done on the inner skin. The cut is quite small of the size 1 cm and with time the skin will develop on the cut. In this way, a small and permanent opening is created that helps to drain the fluid from the glands on a regular basis.

Initially, the opening will like a pouch but with time it will shrink and the size gets reduced. Your opening will now drain the fluid and cure the bartholin’s duct cyst.

After that antibiotics may be given to you once the treatment is over and you get relief.

On an average, this process is very successful and the problem arises only in some cases. The doctor will ensure the same and offer the best assistance.

There are some other treatments as well which have evolved with time. Here are a few other types of operations that are performed nowadays.

• Insertion of a Word Catheter: This is the first type of operation which is done for curing the bartholin’s duct cyst. In this, a catheter is used and inserted into the cut to the cyst. The catheter has a tiny balloon through which the catheter will stay in place for the next six weeks. You will not face any problem but will be able to perform all your normal activities. The process finally closes the openings and ensures the cyst gets healed.
• Insertion of a Jacobi Ring: Another very good process that is used to treat the bartholin’s duct cyst is using the jacobi catheter which is passed into the cyst through the incision. Silk thread is used to keep both the ends intact and then the operation is done. The catheter will stay for some more weeks unless the cyst is healed properly.

If the size of the bartholin’s duct cyst is small, you can go for natural treatments and sit for hot water for around 10-20 minutes at least 3 to 4 times every day. This will burst the cyst and get healed on its own. Also, you can consult the doctor if there is an abscess with the bartholin’s duct cyst too.

If problem persists, the glands are removed through surgery and is usually the last option when nothing works on the bartholin’s duct cyst and abscess.

If the surgery is performed in the right manner there are no chances that the bartholin’s duct cyst will develop again but if the same is drained using natural ways or medicines are taken you may develop bartholin’s duct cyst after the treatment too. The treatment has to be repeated to get it cured.

Sitz bath is the best home remedy that can be used for treating minor cases of bartholin’s duct cyst. Repeat it for 3-4 times a day and you will feel a huge relief.

Even after the surgery, you can go for the sitz bath as it keeps the area clean and reduces the discomfort as well. Also, if there is any pain or swelling, it will get reduced slowly.

Recovering from bartholin’s duct cyst will depend on the kind of treatment availed. Your doctor will guide you on the same and guide you properly.

Preventing the bartholin’s duct cyst is difficult but still you can use keep good health by maintaining the hygiene and using a condom while having sex so as to limit the transfer of germs or bacteria’s. Thus it will reduce the chances of developing abscess and bartholin’s duct cyst.

Drink lots of water and use the bathroom frequently to flush the fluids. Have cranberries which are effective in treating the urinary tract and reducing the problem of the bartholin’s duct cyst.

If you feel that you are suffering from bartholin’s duct cyst or abscess, go for sitz bath and if there is no relief, consulting the doctor would be a great idea. In case there is fever, swelling or pain then too you need to take advice from the doctor.

As soon as the pus is drained out, you can resume your activities soon and recover in just a few days.

In the case of the surgery, this time will increase as you will be kept under the observation of the expert for some days and then discharged to be taken home. You will have to rest for few days and follow the guidelines of your doctor. The incision will heal slowly and till then you have to take a lot of care as well as precautions.

There are no side effects once the treatment is complete and can resume your day to day life activities. You should have no lasting effects from the abscess once it is treated successfully.

Also Read:

• Bartholin’s Duct Cyst: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications