Kidney cysts: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Kidney cysts are round sacs of fluid that form in or on the kidneys. Kidney cysts can present with disorders that can affect kidney function. However, most often kidney cysts are a type called simple kidney cysts. Simple kidney cysts are non-cancerous and rarely cause problems.

The causes of simple kidney cysts are unclear. Often a cyst appears on the surface of a kidney. But more than one cyst can appear in one or both kidneys. Simple kidney cysts are not the same as the cysts that form with polycystic kidney disease. Simple cysts also differ from complex cysts. Complex cysts should be monitored for changes that could be cancerous.

Simple kidney cysts are often found on an imaging test done for another condition. Treatment is usually not needed unless single cysts are causing symptoms.

Symptoms

Simple kidney cysts usually do not cause symptoms. However, if a simple kidney cyst grows significantly larger, symptoms may include the following: Dull pain in the back or side of the body Fever Pain in the upper part of the stomach

When should you see a doctor?

The risk of simple kidney cysts increases with age, although they can occur at any age. Simple kidney cysts are more common in men.

Diagnostic

If a simple kidney cyst causes no symptoms and does not interfere with kidney function, you may not need treatment. Instead, your healthcare provider may recommend that you have regular imaging tests, such as an ultrasound, to check for changes in your kidney cyst.

If it changes and produces symptoms, you can choose to receive treatment at that time. Sometimes the simple renal cyst goes away on its own.

Treatments for Cysts That Cause Symptoms

If a simple kidney cyst is causing symptoms, your healthcare provider may recommend treatment. Some options include the following:

Puncture and drain the cyst then fill it with a solution. The solution allows healing and prevents the cyst from filling with fluid. Said solution can be alcohol or a chemical compound.

On rare occasions, a long, thin needle may be inserted into the skin to puncture the wall of the kidney cyst and reduce its size. The fluid is then drained from the cyst and filled with a solution to prevent it from reforming.

Surgery to remove the cyst. A large cyst that causes symptoms may require surgery. To access the cyst, the surgeon makes several small incisions in the skin and inserts special instruments and a small video camera.

While watching a video screen in the operating room, the surgeon guides instruments into the kidney to drain fluid from the cyst. Then, cut or burn the walls of the cyst. It is very rare for surgery to be performed for simple cysts. The procedure is performed more frequently in complex cysts with changes that may be consistent with cancer.

Some procedures to treat a kidney cyst may require a short hospital stay.