ovarian (redirected from ovarian inflammation)

ovarian /ovar·i·an/ (o-var´e-an) pertaining to an ovary or ovaries.

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ovarian

[ōver′ē·ən]

Etymology: L, ovum, egg

pertaining to the ovary.

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ovarian [o-var´e-an]

pertaining to an ovary.

ovarian cancer cancer of the ovary, one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women in the United States. Despite advances in treatment, the survival rate has risen only slightly since 1950. Although aggressive treatment in the early stages offers the best prognosis, detection before the malignancy reaches an advanced stage is difficult.

Signs and symptoms become more apparent as the tumor grows. The first finding is usually a pelvic mass noted on pelvic examination. However, if the patient is obese or has difficulty relaxing and cooperating with the examiner, the mass may not be felt. With increased size, the tumor compresses the surrounding pelvic structures, which may cause a feeling of fullness and pain in the pelvis or abdomen, abnormal uterine bleeding, urinary complaints, dyspareunia, and later ascites. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, and anorexia may also be associated. Diagnosis is established when the mass is found during exploratory surgery and peritoneal cytology.

A plan of treatment is developed according to the stage of the disease. The modes of therapy include total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and a partial or complete omentectomy. Radiation and chemotherapy are administered after surgery to destroy malignant cells remaining in the abdominal cavity.

Patient Care. Among the major problems associated with ovarian malignancy are those related to abdominopelvic surgery, and the side effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Additionally, the patient with advanced malignancy may suffer from the effects of ascites, which can cause discomfort and shortness of breath, and pleural effusion, which can produce cough, dyspnea, and chest pain. Nutritional problems and emaciation can occur because of a host of factors such as nausea and anorexia, fullness and discomfort of ascites, and tumor involvement of the intestines. Moreover, cancer itself interferes with normal metabolism of nutrients. Intestinal obstruction or other complications related to digestion, absorption, and excretion are the major causes of death in the patient with ovarian cancer.

While specific measures to prevent ovarian cancer are not known, health care providers can encourage early detection by stressing the importance of regular gynecologic examinations and teaching women to recognize the signs and symptoms of ovarian tumors.

ovarian vein syndrome obstruction of the ureter, usually on the right side, due to compression by an enlarged or varicose ovarian vein; typically the vein becomes enlarged during pregnancy, the symptoms being those of obstruction or infection of the upper urinary tract.

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ovarian

pertaining to an ovary.

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ovarian agenesis

one or both ovaries absent; usually accompanies defects of the tubular reproductive organs.

ovarian anomaly

includes ovarian dysgenesis (see below), agenesis (above) or hypoplasia, as in Swedish Highland cattle.

ovarian bursa

a pouch formed by the mesosalpinx and the mesovarium that encloses the infundibulum of the uterine tube and the ovary. It is shallow in the mare and does not enclose the ovary. It is capacious in sows and deep with a fat-filled wall in the bitch.

ovarian bursitis

inlammation of the ovarian bursa; likely to affect the function of the ovary and ovulation.

ovarian cycle

the cycle of follicle maturation and rupture, then luteinization and regression of the corpus luteum followed by recommencement of the cycle, unless pregnancy intervenes.

ovarian cyclicity

the regular appearance of estrus as an indication of the regular occurrence of estrous cycles.

ovarian cyst

see cystic ovarian disease (below).

cystic ovarian degeneration

persistent cysts derived from ovarian follicles which do not ovulate. Follicular cysts are thin-walled and fluctuant, and often multiple. Luteal cysts have a thick wall of luteal tissue about the cyst, are firm to palpate and do not rupture easily. There is abnormal estral behavior, either anestrus or nymphomania, and diminished fertility.

Cystic corpora lutea form after ovulation has occurred and do not interfere with reproduction. They have a characteristic ovulation papilla.

cystic ovarian disease

common disease of cows, less common in sows, characterized by gross abnormalities of estrus, either anestrus or more frequent and prolonged. In cows the cysts can be palpated per rectum.

ovarian dysgenesis

small, inactive ovaries lacking germ cells such as occur in mares lacking a second X chromosome.

ovarian follicle

see ovarian follicle.

follicular ovarian cyst

see cystic follicle.

ovarian hormones

estrogens, progesterone.

ovarian hypoplasia

functional hypoplasia in immature females and undernourished females of all ages are common findings; in the absence of these risk factors hypoplasia is genetic in origin in Swedish Highland and possibly white Ayrshire cattle.

ovarian imbalance

an alternative name of endocrine dermatoses caused by abnormalities of ovarian function in bitches. Type I, associated with cystic ovaries or functional ovarian tumors, consists of a bilaterally symmetrical alopecia, gynecomastia, enlargement of the vulva, and abnormalities of the estrous cycle. Type II is a bilaterally symmetrical alopecia, sometimes with seborrhea, in spayed bitches. It is responsive to treatment with estrogen. Called also estrogen-responsive dermatosis.

ovarian inflammation

see oophoritis.

intrafollicular ovarian hemorrhage

hemorrhage into an ovarian follicle occurs in all species during ovulation; also rarely in anovulatory follicles.

luteal ovarian cyst

see luteal cyst.

luteinized ovarian cyst

see luteal cyst.

ovarian neoplasms

includes mostly granulosa cell tumors, but also rarely carcinomas, fibromas, thecomas, sarcomas.

ovarian pain

a rare cause of colic in mares; identifiable by eliciting pain by rectal palpation of ovary.

premature ovarian failure

defective differentiation of ovarian tissue and the patient shows no signs of pubertal estrus until long past the customary age.

ovarian rebound

return of cyclical ovarian activity after a period of inactivity, usually pregnancy and parturition.

ovarian remnant syndrome

the return of estral activity in a desexed female; due to failure to remove all of the ovarian tissue or to dropping, and allowing to implant, a piece of the ovary.

rete ovarii ovarian cyst

a convoluted system of epithelial cell cords and tubules occupying part of the ovarian medulla; the cysts are found mostly in the hilar region of the ovary.

ovarian serous inclusion cyst

similar in size and appearance to, but distinguishable from, ovarian cysts by their intraovarian position; lined by cuboidal epithelium thought to be pinched off from indentations of surface epithelium.

tubular epithelial ovarian cyst

formed from epithelial cells from the surface of the ovary.