Kidney Cyst Removal
Treatment for abnormal kidney growths
Minimally Invasive and Effective Procedures Available at BIDMC
Kidney cysts, also known as renal cysts, are usually harmless and require no treatment. But those that grow large may cause pain or become infected. Some cysts may also become cancerous. If you have a cyst that needs treatment, kidney care specialists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center can provide simple but effective care to eliminate it and help you feel better.
Understanding Kidney Cysts
Kidney cysts are abnormal sacs that form on or in your kidney. They're common and, in most cases, don't affect how your kidneys function. There are two main types:
- Simple cysts make up the majority of kidney cysts. They're round with thin walls and are filled with fluid. You may not even know you have one of these cysts until doctors see it on an imaging test. These are noncancerous, or benign kidney cysts.
- Complex cysts are much less common than simple cysts. They may be solid, have thicker walls and be oddly shaped. These cysts may be cancerous or potentially become cancerous. As a result, they need monitoring and/or additional testing.
Our urology and kidney care specialists have the expertise to help you with both types of cysts.
Kidney Cyst Treatments
If you require treatment for your cyst, there are three options. We work closely with you to determine which option is best for you.
Aspiration involves removing fluid from your cyst using a long, hollow needle. Sometimes, doctors insert ethanol into the cyst to reduce the chances that it will return. This is known as sclerotherapy. Overall, the aspiration procedure is simple and doesn’t require a hospital stay. However, in about half of all cases, the cyst returns, even if you receive sclerotherapy as part of your treatment.
Surgeons perform traditional open kidney surgery through an 8 to 12-inch incision. The incision starts from the ribs on your back and goes down toward your abdomen. It provides access to your cyst, so your surgeon can remove it. A portion of one of your ribs is usually removed during the surgery. Typically, your hospital stay is three to five days. The surgery can cure renal cysts about 95% of the time.
This involves surgically removing your cyst with a minimally invasive procedure. Sometimes, surgeons operate through a single, small incision in your belly button. This is known as single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS™). Other times, they operate through three to four 1-centimeter incisions in your abdomen.
First, the surgeon inserts a special camera. It provides a magnified view of your kidney. Then, with instruments passed through the incision(s), they cut the cyst away using a special instrument. The surgeon doesn’t place a hand in your abdomen, but the tool provides a sense of feeling that allows them to remove the cyst. There is very little blood loss during the procedure, and the need for transfusions is extremely rare.
After Renal Cyst Decortication
Once the cyst is removed, doctors place a drainage tube near the kidney to help remove fluid from the area. It stays in place for one to two days. You also have a urinary catheter in place for about a day. To help with pain management, we provide a special pump with pain medicine that you can control right away. But the day after surgery, you move to pain pills.
On the first day after surgery, or soon after, you resume normal eating. You go home from the hospital one to two days after surgery and you will have pain pills at first. But then, over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen is all you’ll need to control your discomfort. The overall recovery time after kidney cyst removal is about three to four weeks. After that time, you should be able to return to full activity. You follow up with your surgeon one month after your operation, then again at 12 months and 24 months. You can easily do these appointments over the phone if you live outside the Boston area. At one year, you have a kidney ultrasound to look for recurrence.
Advantages of Renal Cyst Decortication
Both open surgery and laparoscopic decortication are effective means for determining if a renal cyst is benign. And like open surgery, decortication provides long-term cure rates of at least 95% — far better than needle aspiration. However, compared to open surgery, decortication offers:
- Better cosmetic results.
- Improved visualization of the surgical field for your surgeon.
- Less pain.
- Quicker recovery.
- Shorter hospital stay.
