Giant idiopathic benign retroperitoneal cyst: a case report

: Background: Primary retroperitoneal cyst formation without connection to adjacent anatomical structures is a rare and benign entity with the majority of these cysts being discovered incidentally. If symptoms develop, they are generally non-specific and related to compression of the adjacent retro-/or intraperitoneal structures. Complete resection of the cyst is curative and therefore the preferred treatment option. We report a case of giant retroperitoneal cyst for which a total surgical removal was performed. Case report: A 79-year-old female consulted our department with complaints of long lasting abdominal pain and progressive abdominal distension. CT abdomen revealed a giant retroperitoneal cyst (35 cm × 25 cm × 21 cm) without radiological features of malignancy but with severe mass effect on the surrounding intra-abdominal structures. A median laparotomy was performed with a complete excision of cyst. No signs of malignancy or atypia were observed on histological examination. Conclusion: Idiopathic retroperitoneal cysts can slowly grow to giant proportions and subsequently lead to chronic vague abdominal symptoms. Complete surgical excision is curative and should be pursued.