Diagnosis of Ovarian Yolk Sac Tumour on Intra-Operative Cytology

A 23-year-old female patient presented with chief complaints of discomfort in right lower abdomen and weakness. She was subjected to computerized tomography scan abdomen which revealed neoplastic lesion in right adnexa. Cytological features from ovarian cystic fluid sample received intra-operatively from Ovarian Tumour (OT) showed features of Yolk Sac Tumour (YST) which was later confirmed on histopathology. YST is a rare neoplasm, which mainly affects gonads of children and adolescents. When exfoliated cytological samples are considered, YSTs are most often identified in pleural, peritoneal or pericardial fluids. However, intraoperative ovarian cystic fluid aspirates have been rarely used for prompt cytological diagnosis. Rapid intraoperative diagnosis of the nature of the OT in young woman avoids unnecessary removal of the contralateral ovary and helps in preservation of fertility. Aspirate sample obtained can also be used for flow-cytometry and cytogenetic studies.