[Laparoscopic treatment of symptomatic simple renal cysts]

Simple renal cysts (SRC) are usually asymptomatic and do not require any kind of treatment. Laparoscopy is a reasonable minimally invasive surgical option for symptomatic cysts. Herein, we present the results of the laparoscopic technique for the treatment of symptomatic renal cysts performed in our institution.

Between November 1992 and May 2006, 41 patients with symptomatic renal cysts were laparoscopically treated. The surgical techniques employed were transperitoneal and retroperitoneal. Demographic and surgical data was prospectively collected and analysis retrospectively performed.

41 patients were treated for symptomatic renal cysts in a fourteen year period. 23 (56%) women and 18 (44%) men, with a median age of 54 years. (Range 27-74 years.). All patients in the series were symptomatic. Pain was the most frequent symptom. Median cyst size was 10 cm. (range 5-16 cm.). Transperitoneal approach was performed in 24 patients (58%) and retroperitoneal in 17(42%). No differences were verified between these approaches. 16 lesions were located at the left renal unit, 24 in the right renal unit (54%) and one case presented bilateral lesions (3%). Median operative time was 52 min. (range 20-150 min.), median hospital stay was 42 hours (range 12-96 h.). 39 cysts (95.2%) were classified as Bosniak's type I lesions, 2 lesions (4.8%) were type II based on Bosniak's description. Final pathology confirmed every lesion as a simple renal cyst. There was only one relapse in the series. The latter was treated percutaneously.

Laparoscopy is a feasible, safe and advantageous surgical therapeutic option for symptomatic renal cysts.