Elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in the torsion of ovarian mature cystic teratoma: normalised after operation for torsion

Abstract

The aim of the study was to report the elevated liver function test levels in torsion of ovarian mature cystic teratoma (MCT). A retrospective review was performed of 116 patients with MCT who underwent surgery in our hospital between 2010 and 2017. Eleven of 116 patients were with torsion of MCT. Of the 11 torsion of MCT cases, 6 of those showed abnormal elevated levels of aspartate transaminase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT). After operation, AST/ALT levels recovered to normal ranges. Elevated liver function levels require attention to complications associated with anaesthesia and emergency operation. However, the current report shows that emergency surgery should not be delayed to assess other causes of elevated liver function tests.

Impact statement

• What is already known on this subject? Abnormal liver function tests require attention to complications associated with emergency surgery.

• What do the results of this study add: Our study shows that some patients with torsion of MCT returned to normal levels of AST/ALT after surgery without any medications to improve liver function.

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This study would offer that in some cases with torsion of MCT, emergency surgery should not be delayed and the assessment of other possible causes of these elevations postponed to postoperative period. Additional studies are required to assess the correlation between elevated AST/ALT levels and torsion of MCT.

Keywords:

• Mature cystic teratoma
• ovarian torsion
• aspartate aminotransferase
• alanine aminotransferase
• liver function test

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).