[Cystic splenic disease of surgical interest]

Cystic lesions of the spleen include parasitic and nonparasitic cysts. Parasitic cysts are due almost exclusively to echinococcal disease representing 50 to 80 per cent of splenic cysts. However, splenic echinococcosis is not so common as hepatic or pulmonary location (only 3.5 per cent described in literature). Nonparasitic cysts are classified as primary or true cysts, which have an epithelial or endothelial lining, and pseudocysts. True cysts of the spleen are very rare and include epidermoid and dermoid cysts, cystic hemangiomas and cystic lymphangiomas. Pseudocysts are much more common and may be post-traumatic (haemorrhagic or serosal), degenerative (infarction) or inflammatory. Such conditions can be occasionally observed or detected in emergency in case of splenic rupture. Four cases of splenic cystic pathology are reported. Correlated diagnostic problems are analyzed. The four cases (a cystic hydatidosis, a cystic lymphangioma and two post-traumatic haemorrhagic cysts), successfully treated with splenectomy are discussed.