Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast. As always, my name is Tom, and in this episode

I'm going to be talking to you about Bartholins cyst, and you can find written notes on this topic

at zero tofinals.com slash Bartholins or in the gynecology section of the Zero to Finalsals, obstetrics and guine book. So let's get

straight into it. The Bartholins glands are a pair of glands located either side of the posterior

part of the vaginal introitus, which is the vaginal opening.

They're usually pea-sized and they're not palpable.

They produce mucus and help with vaginal lubrication.

When the ducts of the Bartholins glands become blocked,

the Bartholins glands can swell and become tender,

causing a Bartholins cyst. The swelling is typically unilateral and

forms a fluid-filled cyst between 1 and 4 centimetres in size. These cysts can become infected,

forming a Bartholins abscess. A Bartholins abscess will be hot, tender, red and potentially draining pus.

A diagnosis of a Bartholins cyst or abscess is made clinically with a history and examination.

Let's talk about the management.

Bartholins cysts will usually resolve with simple treatment such as good hygiene,

analgesia and warm compresses.

Incision is generally avoided with bartholin cysts as the cysts will often reoccur. A biopsy may be required if vulval malignancy needs to be excluded, particularly in women over 40 years.

A Bartolins abscess will require antibiotics. A swab of the pass or the fluid from the abscess

can be taken to culture the infective organism and check for antibiotic sensitivities.

E. coli is the most common cause.

Send specific swabs for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Surgical interventions may be required to treat a Bartholins abscess.

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