Treatment of splenic cyst by laparoscopic partial splenectomy: case report

Congenital splenic cysts are rare. They have a tendency to bleed, to become infected or to rupture and, for these reasons, must be treated. Treatment using splenectomy has the advantage of not presenting recurrence but carries the risk of immunological complications. Treatment through aspiration of the cyst or decapsulation preserves the spleen but with a high rate of recurrence. Optimal treatment is partial splenectomy. A portion of healthy splenic tissue is included that avoids recurrence and preserves the organ. We report the case of a child with a splenic cyst resolved by partial splenectomy done laparoscopically.

We report the case of a 7-year-old female with abdominal pain and hemi-abdominal mass in the upper left abdomen. With the use of ultrasound and tomography, a splenic cyst was detected. With laparoscopy, a partial splenectomy was performed with harmonic scalpel at 0.5 cm from the outer cyst. The patient was released the next day without complications and was followed-up for 1 year.

Laparoscopic approach allows resection of splenic cysts with a margin of healthy tissue without risk of bleeding or recurrence. Patient recovery is rapid, avoiding the morbidity associated with large incisions.