When to operate on ovarian cysts in children?

Ovarian cysts are rare conditions in the pediatric age group. They are characterized by different clinical presentations and by the need to establish adequate type and timing of treatment in order to prevent complications, such as ovarian necrosis after torsion and infertility. The diagnostic approach should differentiate benign occasional findings, such as follicular cysts, from neoplastic lesions, and functional cysts which can occur either isolated or in the context of McCune-Albright syndrome. Our aim was to review all the patients affected by ovarian pathologies seen in our department in the past 5 years, in order to establish a protocol for the correct management of these conditions.