Problems encountered in diagnosis and management of retroperitoneal cystic swellings

ABSTRACT

This study included 7 patients with retroperitoneal cysts who were diagnosed and managed between 1989 and 1992. All cases presented with intra-abdominal masses and 5 patients had pressure symptoms of either the gastrointestinal or the urinary tract. The initial diagnosis of an intra-abdominal cyst was made by ultrasound in 6 cases. CT scan was reliable in the diagnosis of a retroperitoneal cyst in all the cases as well as demonstrating its anatomic relations. Diagnostic aspiration of the cyst is a potentially hazardous procedure and should not be done. Five patients had complete excision of the cyst and 2 patients had excision by marsupialization. Complete excision of the cyst remains the treatment of choice. Marsupialization can be undertaken in cases of developmental cysts when complete excision can not be safely done if frozen section histology proves benign nature of the cyst