Percutaneous treatment of simple kidney cysts

Percutaneous treatment of renal cysts is an effective and minimally invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of simple, symptomatic renal cysts or cysts complicated by renal stones or hydronephrosis. Moderately large cysts and parapelvic cysts should be treated by sclerotherapy, while very large and peripheral cysts should be resected percutaneously. A series of 29 cysts was treated: 6 percutaneous resections, 22 scleroses, 1 simple puncture-aspiration. Pain relief was obtained in 96% of cases. Resolution of hydronephrosis and renal stones was obtained in 100% of cases. The morbidity (infection, haematoma) was low (10%), but 9 patients (32%) presented with a small residual cavity which, in 1 case, evolved towards a true recurrence of the cyst. The long-term outcome of these asymptomatic residual cavities is unknown.