No abstract

condition because of her fear of doctors. She had written to her general practitioner asking for hypnotics, but he had realised that he had not seen her for years and had gone to her house. On examination he found gross abdominal distension, wasting of the upper half of the body, and oedema of the legs and abdominal wall. He persuaded her to be admitted to hospital. On admission the clinical appearance (figure) was typical of a giant ovarian cyst. Because of her worsening dyspnoea it required urgent decompression. Appearance of patient on admission. She was unable to lie on her back or her right side.