Laparoscopy is a surgical method which is now widely used for the treatment of ovarian cysts. The authors wish to present their experience concerning the management and treatment of dermoid cysts or dysembryomas since these lesions embody all the problems persisting in this field. They report 33 cases exclusively treated by laparoscopic surgery in a series of 407 adnexal cysts treated over a 4-year period (April 1988 to April 1992). As regards diagnosis, the principal difficulty is not to miss the odd malignant lesion (1 to 2%) encountered mainly in older women. Technically, the most delicate stage in the operation is extraction of the cyst, especially when it is large and has an important solid component. Provided all precautions are taken in the diagnosis and the operative technique, this new method seems to be quite acceptable as it enables women who carry these lesions, which require excision, to benefit from the well-known advantages of laparoscopic surgery.