What are Kidney Cysts?
Custom Search
They vary widely in size, but most are usually small. They are sometimes so small that they can only be seen clearly under a microscope. Some are present at birth (congenital), and others are caused by tubular obstructions. Cysts may develop singly or as a group. Single cysts are not a health risk and are quite common in persons over the age of 50. In most cases, these cysts are almost always benign (not cancerous) and do not affect normal kidney function. Treatment is not normally required. While it is possible for cancer or infection to develop in a single cyst, such complications are rare. Extremely large cysts can replace much of the mass of the kidney and can lead to kidney failure. With multiple cysts, however, the likelihood of complications is much greater. For instance, polycystic kidney disease may lead to the formulation of hundreds of cysts, enlarged kidneys and eventually kidney failure. This condition is a commonly inherited disorder. Some children are born with it while others develop it early in life. Most often, however, the symptoms of polycystic kidney disease are not manifested until the age of 30 to 40 years of age.
Symptoms There are usually no symptoms of a single benign cyst. If, however, the cyst is unusually large, symptoms such as back pain or abdominal pain may develop. Occasionally, infections can occur, causing pain when passing urine, or fever, sweats and pain in the back.In the case of polycystic kidney disease, general symptoms include:
Kidney Cyst Treatment Treatment is not usually required for small single benign cysts. Antibiotics are used, if a cyst becomes infected. Sometimes these are hard to treat, requiring long courses of antibiotics.If the cyst is unusually large it could impair kidney function and lead to kidney failure. A physician may choose to collapse or decompress a large Kidney cyst. This is done by inserting a needle, guided by ultrasound or x-rays, through the skin and into the cyst. This procedure requires some local anaesthetic to dull the pain. In extreme cases, particularly if severe infection or cancer has caused irreversible damage, the whole kidney can be removed by an operation. The patient is still able to lead a normal healthy life, if the other kidney is healthy. If complications, due to kidney cysts, result in kidney failure, dialysis may be necessary. A kidney transplant may become necessary in cases of end stage renal disease. There is yet no known cure for kidney cysts. The goals of various treatments administered are to preserve kidney function as long as possible, prevent or treat complications, and to alleviate symptoms. Thankfully, most cases of this condition involve a single cyst, which are not a health risk. In most cases it creates no problems and requires no treatment. Renal cysts are quite common, especially in older people. Up to 40% or more of people over the age of 50 years old have cyst on their kidneys. Usually, the cysts do not cause any problems. In fact, people can go through life without even knowing that they have them.
______________________________________________ Return from Kidney Cysts to Comprehensive Kidney Facts |