Comparison of Word Catheter and Marsupialization in the Management of Bartholin's Glands: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: There is no consensus on the best option for the management of Bartholin's gland abscesses. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the Word catheter placement and marsupialization methods in the management of women with a cyst or abscess of the Bartholin's glands.
Data Sources: The PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases, as well as Google Scholar, were searched to retrieve articles published between January 1990 and July 2023, comparing the Word catheter treatment with marsupialization for women with a cyst or abscess of the Bartholin's glands.
Study Selection: Both observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this meta-analysis.
Data Extraction and Synthesis: After the review, out of 9 relevant articles, only 4 (2 observational studies and 2 RCTs) were included in this meta-analysis, providing the data of 735 patients (396 in the Word catheter group vs. 339 in the marsupialization group). The data was extracted from the selected articles, using a data extraction form. Comparison of the Word catheter and marsupialization methods suggested that the risk of recurrence was approximately 7.6% in the Word catheter group and 9.4% in the marsupialization group. The findings indicated no significant difference in the recurrence of cysts or abscesses when comparing the Word catheter treatment with marsupialization (odds ratio = 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.29-3.43, P = 0.990, I ²  = 77%).
Conclusion: This meta-analysis found no significant difference in the rate of recurrence between the Word catheter and marsupialization methods. In general, marsupialization and Word catheter placement in the treatment of Bartholinitis seem to be equally effective.
(Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)