Cyst Removal (surgery to remove cyst from kidney)

A kidney cyst is a fluid-filled sac that develops on one or both of the kidneys. These cysts are round, thin walled and can range in size from microscopic to around 5cm in diameter. They may be associated with a serious condition, but in most cases they are harmless and referred to as simple kidney cysts.

These simple cysts do not usually lead to any symptoms or kidney damage, although they can cause problems if they become large enough or start to press on other organs.

If a cyst is found to be simple, no further monitoring or evaluation is usually required. A complex kidney cyst is a cyst that has a more irregular shape or thicker walls than a simple cyst. Imaging techniques may be used to periodically assess a complex cyst. If it has become large enough to cause pain, discomfort, or high blood pressure, it may need to be surgically removed.

Some complex cysts may also be removed due to an increased risk of kidney cancer or because the patient is experiencing a decline in kidney function.

Some of the approaches used to remove a cyst are described below.