KIDNEY CYST

Overview & Facts

A kidney cyst is a round pouch of fluid that may form within or on the kidneys. Kidney cysts may be associated with serious disorders, but usually kidney cyst is referred as the simple type of kidney cyst are most common and less aggressive.

Simple Kidney Cyst Causes

The cause of simple kidney cysts is not fully understood, but they do not appear to be inherited. Being male is a risk factor, however, as is age: Almost half of all people age 50 or older have one or more simple cysts in the kidneys. The size of these cysts may also increase with age and may double over 10 years.

Obstruction of the tubules within the kidneys or deficiency of blood supply within the kidney may play a role.

Types & Symptoms

Simple kidney cysts usually do not cause symptoms. In most cases, a doctor finds them during an ultrasound or computerized tomography (CT) scan done for another reason. However, simple kidney cysts may:

  • Cause pain in your side, back, or upper abdomen if they enlarge and press on other organs
  • Bleed
  • Become infected, causing fever, chills, or other signs of infection
  • Impair kidney function (rare)

Simple kidney cysts have been associated with high blood pressure, but it is unclear what the relationship is between the two.

Diagnosis & Medications

DIAGNOSIS

Tests and procedures used to diagnose simple kidney cysts include:

  • Imaging tests. Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound, a computerized tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are often used to investigate simple kidney cysts. Imaging tests can help your doctor determine whether a kidney mass is a cyst or a tumor.
  • Kidney function tests. Testing a sample of your blood may reveal whether a kidney cyst is impairing your kidney function.

 

RECOMMENDED MEDICATIONS

If your cyst does not cause symptoms or complications, you do not need treatment. Your doctor may simply watch your cysts to make sure they don’t cause any problems. However, in the rare case that you have symptoms, you may need treatment, called sclerotherapy.  This involves the following:

  • A doctor punctures the cyst with a long needle inserted through the skin, using ultrasound for guidance.
  • The doctor drains (aspirates) the cyst and may then fill the empty pouch with a solution that contains alcohol; this causes the tissue to harden and lowers the chances of recurrence. Scarring down the space within the cyst is called sclerosis.

In some cases, a cyst will return and refill with fluid. Your doctor may recommend surgery that entails general anesthesia and a large incision. During the procedure, the surgeon would insert a thin, lighted viewing tube called a laparoscope and other instruments to drain the fluid from the cyst and remove or burn its outer wall to keep it from reforming.

You may need to stay in the hospital for one or two days following the surgery.

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