Diagnostic spectrum of non-neoplastic ovarian lesions in Nigerians: A seven-year hospital-based retrospective study

Aims: Ovarian lesions are an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. They are classified as non-neoplastic, neoplastic, and inflammatory. Non-neoplastic lesions occur most frequently. This study aims to describe the diagnostic spectrum of non-neoplastic ovarian lesions in a Nigerian population and compare their frequency, diagnoses, and clinical presentations with other studies from Nigerian and other regions of the world. Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective descriptive study of histologically diagnosed non-neoplastic lesions of the ovary. Results: About 42.8% (295/689) of the ovarian lesions that met the inclusion criteria were non-neoplastic. The age range of the patients was 15–70 years. The median age was 34 years. The 25–34 years age range, 41.0% (121/295), had the highest frequency, while the 55–64 years age range, 0.7% (2/295), was least. Common clinical features included abdominal pain, 81/295 (27.5%), menstrual abnormalities 74/295 (25.1%), and abdominal swelling 67/295 (22.7%). The diagnostic spectrum included cystic, solid, and inflammatory lesions. Corpus luteum cysts, 49.5% (146/295), were the most frequent, followed by follicular cysts, 28.1% (83/295). Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), 0.7% (2/295), was the least encountered cystic lesion. Majority of the specimens, 41.0% (121/295), were small (greater5 cm dimension), while the large (>15 cm), 13.9% (41/295), were least frequent. Conclusion: Non-neoplastic ovarian lesions are an important cause of morbidity in the study population, with corpus luteum cyst as the commonest. Nulliparous and low parity patients were the most frequently affected. Timely and accurate histological recognition of these lesions are important for the purpose of institution of proper treatment.