Differential Diagnosis between Cancer and Solitary Serous Cyst of the Kidney

Simple Renal Cysts in Childhood

“…Percutaneous puncture and aspiration of the cyst has also been used as a therapeutic measure in adults rendering surgical exploration unpecessary (Wahlquivst and Grumstedt, 1966). It would appear that this form of treatment should be reserved only for the poor-risk patient (Clarke et al, 1956) and is certainly not recommended in childhood. The inherent danger of missing a renal neoplasm, a much commoner condition in childhood, must be high.…”

Simple renal cysts

“…When complications occur in renal cysts, the symptoms are often unusual and never pathognomonic, so that diagnosis may be difficult. Complications which have been reported, include rupture (Clarke et al, 1956a) either spontaneous or from trauma, infection (Limjoco & Strauch, 1966), and rarely haematuria (Allen, 1962). Kreutzmann (1947) recorded two cases of hypertension associated with a solitary renal cyst, in one of which excision was followed by a satisfactorily maintained fall in blood pressure.…”

“…Clarke et al (1956a) considered that operation was always best in the fit patient and that only poor risk patients should be subjected to aspiration. At operation every effort is made to preserve renal tissue and simple decapsulation of the cyst is usually adequate (Glaser, 1952).…”

“…These cysts, however, are of more than academic interest for, on occasions, complications within the cyst occur to produce unusual symptoms, which make diagnosis difficult. In addition, the co-existence of a cyst and a carcinoma in the same kidney in approximately 2%y of all renal cysts surgically removed has been reported (Clarke, 1956a).…”