The fallopian tubes often have small cysts around their open ends. They are almost always less than 1cm in diameter and are seen at a laparoscopy operation or occasionally on an ultrasound scan. These types of cyst are probably present from birth and have no effect at all on fertility. They are given several different names, most commonly ‘parafimbrial’ cysts because they are situated next to the fimbrial end of the tube. They are completely different from the cysts of polycystic ovaries.