Treatment of neonatal abdominal cysts

Intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal cystic structures in the newborn appear with a variable clinical picture and in the case of intra-abdominal cysts, surgery is performed mostly on an emergency basis. In such cases the exact preoperative diagnosis is difficult and is seldom made. With early laparotomy, extensive small bowel resection can usually be avoided. Retroperitoneal lesions are mostly of renal origin; in such cases, preoperative diagnosis is easy, being based on specific examinations. In the year 1973, 5 newborns with an intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal cyst have been treated surgically. In this series, one infant died after resection of 90% of the small bowel.