Treatment of a kidney cyst

Classification of kidney cysts

When a Kidney cyst occurs individually, as a rule it is harmless, does not cause the affected person any symptoms and therefore does not have to be treated.
Kidney cysts are divided into different ones Guys to Bosniak, on the basis of which the indication for a treatment can be established.

In the case of simple cysts (types 1 and 2), which are almost always just an incidental finding, there is not even a reason to monitor the progress. These cysts are definitely benign and have no thickened walls or calcifications. In a very small number of people, such cysts can cause problems by becoming very large. In such a case, the cyst can be punctured. This means that the fluid can be sucked out of the cyst using a needle, which practically collapses it.

Wall thickening and calcification

For type 2F, a follow-up check is recommended, as slight wall thickening or calcification can be detected in the ultrasound and one would like to rule out further growth or changes in the properties of the cyst.
Type 3 is characterized by the fact that the walls of the cyst are significantly thickened and / or irregular, calcium deposits can be detected and, under certain circumstances, a contrast medium is also recorded in the computed tomography. Such a finding can be an infected or bleeding cyst, but also a malignant process, which is why a surgical measure is recommended here. The material obtained from the puncture can be used to check for infections and suspicious cells.

The following topic may also be helpful to you: Calcified Kidney - Causes, Diagnosis & Therapy

Diet for kidney cysts

If you have kidney cysts, it is usually not necessary to change your diet. The formation of the cysts or their growth is only slightly influenced by the diet. In general, however, a healthy, balanced diet that is not too salty is recommended for most diseases.

Read more on the subject at: Kidney Disease Diet

Surgery for kidney cysts

Kidney cysts need surgery when they cause discomfort or if it cannot be ruled out with certainty that it is part of a malignant tumor. It is rather rare for a single kidney cyst to cause discomfort. However, when it increases in size, it can displace the surrounding kidney tissue. This can lead to pain. If there are many cysts, this can lead to a reduction in kidney function.
Surgery is only an option for individual cysts. A distinction must be made between kidney cysts and cystic kidneys. Kidney cysts are single cysts that grow in the kidney tissue, while cyst kidneys are kidneys with numerous cysts. Surgical removal of cysts is only an option for a small number. In the case of cyst kidneys, surgical removal of the cysts is therefore not an option. Before the cyst is operated on, however, an attempt can also be made to drain a large part of the contents by puncturing the cyst and thus relieve the symptoms. Often, however, the cyst fills up with fluid again. Then the operation is usually used. This is done in a minimally invasive manner, i.e. using the keyhole principle.
If such an intervention is not an option, so-called sclerotherapy can be carried out. Here, the cyst is punctured through the skin and the contents suctioned off, then a substance is injected into the cyst that is supposed to stick it together so that the cyst cannot fill up with fluid again. The recurrence rate (rate of recurrence of the cysts) is relatively high with this type of procedure, so that surgical removal is preferred if symptoms occur.

Marsupialization in renal cysts

Renal cyst marsupialization is performed laparoscopically, i.e. minimally invasively. However, it is rarely used nowadays. The aim is to expose the cyst. This is achieved by opening the cyst and suturing the edges to the surrounding tissue.

Medicines for kidney cysts

Kidney cysts usually do not require any drug therapy. In the case of kidney disease, it is generally important to drink enough water as long as there is no need for dialysis. If the cyst is painful, pain medication may be prescribed. However, if the patient has a single cyst that repeatedly causes pain, surgical removal of the cyst should be considered, depending on the general condition of the patient.

Fenestration in kidney cysts

The fenestration of a kidney cyst initially means that the kidney is punctured. Here, several holes are made in the wall of the cyst to ensure that the fluid contained in the cyst is drained sufficiently.

Treatment of cyst kidneys

It is different with the so-called cyst kidneys. With this disease there are a large number of cysts in the kidneys, which on the one hand can severely limit their function and on the other hand sometimes cause pain.
The loss of function can lead to high blood pressure, which must be controlled with medication. If there is an infection, it must be treated with appropriate antibiotics. Medication is usually given against the pain; if these should not be enough, you can also proceed surgically and remove the cysts. In the worst case, dialysis or a kidney transplant may be necessary.

Read more on the topic: Kidney malformations

other topics

Other topics that might interest you:

  • Kidney cysts
  • Kidney cyst symptoms
  • Lower urinary tract
  • acute kidney failure
  • Pelvic inflammation
  • Calcified kidney

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