Bartholin's gland incision

What is Bartholin's gland incision?

Bartholin's gland incision is a surgical procedure to treat inflammation or abscess of Bartholin's gland — a paired organ located at the vaginal entrance responsible for lubrication. When the gland's duct becomes blocked, a cyst can form that may become infected and develop into a painful abscess.

When is surgical intervention needed?

• Bartholin abscess — a painful, swollen formation requiring drainage
• Recurrent Bartholin cyst — recurring cysts that do not respond to conservative treatment
• Large Bartholin cyst — a cyst causing discomfort, pain, or difficulty walking
• Acute inflammation — red, warm, and extremely painful area requiring emergency drainage

Types of surgical procedures

• Simple incision and drainage — a small cut to drain abscess contents (for minor inflammations)
• Marsupialization — creating a permanent drainage opening (prevention of recurrence)
• Word catheter — placing a small catheter for continuous drainage over 4–6 weeks
• Gland excision — complete gland removal (only in rare cases of recurrent infections)

Procedure overview

The procedure is most commonly performed under local anesthesia, though regional or brief general anesthesia may be used for more extensive procedures. The surgeon makes a small incision, drains the contents, and if needed places a catheter or creates a marsupialized cavity. The procedure takes 15–30 minutes.

Recovery and recommendations

• Sitz baths — warm baths 2–3 times daily accelerate healing
• Antibiotic therapy — prescribed based on microbiological swab results
• Follow-up examination — in 7–10 days to assess healing
• Return to activities — usually in 3–5 days after simple incision
• Avoid sexual intercourse — minimum 2–4 weeks until complete healing