Ovarian Cyst Case Study

On the 22nd of December 2010 a 14 year old Jamie Wilson woke up like any other day. She told her parents that she was experiencing very mild pain in her right left abdomen. Since it was not severe Jamie took an Advil and continued on with her day.

Last minute Christmas shopping took her and her parents into the city. The pain she felt in her side was returning and slowly becoming more and more intense. Her parents brushed it off as just regular aches and pains that growing girls experience.

With a sudden convulsion of extreme pain and a scream of pure agony her parents decided to take her to the hospital for a second look. By the time they reached the children’s hospital emergency doors Jamie could not even stand. The nausea had over taken her completely. Jamie’s parents carried her in and began the process of admitting her. As the nurse began to evaluate her, the nausea became too much for her and she began to vomit in the ER. The nurses immediately brought her into a private room and started filling her with fluids through an IV. Jamie had blood taken and it was sent away for testing.

At this point the doctors were suspecting an appendicitis. As soon as Jamie had enough fluids in her system she was taken for an ultrasound. This process caused her even more pain as they pushed on her abdomen. Unfortunately the doctors did not see anything in the ultrasound and they proceeded to order a CT scan. As the ink entered Jamie’s body she felt extreme heat which worsened her nausea. The CT scan also came back empty but the doctors were still convinced it was her appendix.

Throughout the night her vitals were checked and she was prepped for an appendectomy. After a restless few hours of attempting to sleep Jamie was into the final stages of surgery prep. A specialist came to exam Jamie right before the surgery and changed the course of the entire day. The specialist ruled out appendicitis and concluded that it was most likely a ruptured cyst on her right ovary. This would explain the lack of evidence in the ultrasound and CT scan.

Unfortunately there is nothing doctors can do about ovarian cyst’s so Jamie was discharged from the hospital and told to relax while she recovered. Within a few days she regained her strength and appetite. It was determined that an ovarian cyst was indeed the cause behind the pain.

Questions:

1. What are the two main purposes of the ovaries?
2. Which structures contribute to the movement of the ovum from the ovary to the uterus?
3. What hormone promotes and maintains the endometrial lining?
4. Briefly describe oogenesis?
5. Why would someone with endometriosis have a normal ultrasound?