Tailgut cysts: report of two cases

Area of Science:

• Developmental biology
• Surgical pathology
• Diagnostic imaging

Background:

• Tailgut cysts are rare congenital anomalies originating from the embryological postanal gut.
• They often present incidentally or with pressure symptoms, frequently misdiagnosed initially.

Observation:

• Two cases illustrate tailgut cyst presentation: one with urinary retention and a retrorectal mass, another with ureteric obstruction and a prerectal cyst.
• Imaging modalities like ultrasound, MRI, and CT were used for diagnosis, with histology confirming cyst characteristics.

Findings:

• Histological examination revealed chronically inflamed, mucoid fluid-filled cysts with varied epithelial linings (squamous and columnar).
• The potential for malignancy exists, which is challenging to exclude definitively via imaging or biopsy alone.

Implications:

• Magnetic resonance imaging is the preferred modality for differentiating tailgut cysts from other retrorectal lesions.
• Surgical resection is crucial for symptom relief, definitive diagnosis, and malignancy assessment.