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Ovarian Torsion Misdiagnosis

Ovarian Torsion Misdiagnosis arises when an ovary twists around the ligaments that hold it in place. This twisting can cut off blood flow to the ovary and fallopian tube. Ovarian torsion can cause severe pain and other symptoms because the ovary is not receiving enough blood. On some occasions it is not identified leaving the patient in a lot of pain. In some cases it is not identified until it is too late.

Although ovarian torsion is not common, it is a medical emergency. Surgery will be necessary to untwist or remove the ovary. If the blood supply is cut off long enough, the ovary may no longer be able to do its normal work, which can impact fertility and cause other problems.

Symptoms

When an ovary twists, women have sudden, severe pain in the pelvic area. The pain is sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Before the sudden pain, women may have intermittent, crampy pain for days or occasionally even for weeks.

Sometimes ovarian torsion resolves itself on its own. This is called intermittent torsion, meaning that the torsed ovary twists back into place and then ceases twisting. However, this is rare and you should not wait to see if the ovary will twist back on its own.

In some cases, an ovarian cyst can rupture (break open). A ruptured ovarian cyst isn’t automatically a life-threatening condition. The cyst fluid can dissipate and heal without any intervention. It is important to be monitored however to ensure that no further complications occur.

If the ovary dies it can create intense pain, from the ovary itself and from the surrounding pelvic lining, which grows inflamed from the decay of the dying organ. That peritoneal inflammation can cause build-up of fluids in the abdomen and release of CA-125, even in the absence of cancer.