Kidney Cysts
Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can develop in the kidneys as a person ages.
Renal cysts fall into five distinct categories.
Class I (simple cyst) and class II (minimally complicated) comprise the bulk. Almost frequently, these cysts are not malignant.
Complex cysts must be monitored or treated since they may be linked to malignancy. Kidney cysts typically don’t create any symptoms, so many are unaware that they have them. Rarely, kidney cysts may enlarge to the point where they become problematic.
Your doctor will recommend that you see a urologist to talk about your treatment choices if you have symptoms of kidney cysts or complicated cysts.
Kidney cysts can result from a number of illnesses. These include acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD), which can occur in patients with chronic renal illness, most frequently in dialysis patients, and polycystic kidney disease (PKD), an inherited condition.
Simple Kidney Cysts: What Are They?
Simple kidney cysts are round or oval sacs filled with fluid that develop in the kidneys. They often contain a watery fluid and are tiny. While some people only have one cyst, others have several. One kidney or both kidneys may have cysts. The sacs might be as small as a pea or as large as a softball.
In general, these cysts are not harmful. They don’t make the kidneys bigger or change how they work.
People over 50 are more likely to have simple kidney cysts.
Men are more likely than women to have them. The cause of the cysts is unknown. They cannot be avoided.
What Signs Indicate Kidney Cysts?
Unless they are very large or get infectious, kidney cysts often don’t cause any symptoms. If they do result in symptoms, they may cause back or stomach pain, or pain between your hips and ribs.
• fever;
• black urine or blood in the urine
What are the methods for diagnosing and treating kidney cysts?
Typically, kidney cysts are discovered via an imaging test (such as an MRI, CT scan, or ultrasound) that is performed for another purpose. Your doctor will probably inform you that you don’t require more testing or treatment if it turns out that you have a basic or minimally complex kidney cyst that isn’t bothering you. In certain situations, your physician might request that you return in six months for another imaging study to examine the cyst.
Your doctor may perform an aspiration treatment to drain your cysts if they are causing symptoms. The physician inserts a long needle through the skin and into the cyst using ultrasonography as a guide. To get rid of all the fluid, the doctor drains the cyst; occasionally, medicine is injected to harden the cyst’s interior and make it less likely to fill up with fluid in the future.
Laparoscopic surgery may be used to address larger cysts that are producing symptoms. To prevent the cyst from filling with fluid, its outer layer is removed.
Polycystic Kidney Disease: What Is It?
Numerous kidney cysts develop as a result of polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a hereditary condition. This may cause the kidneys to expand and alter how they function. High blood pressure, side and back pain, blood in the urine, and recurrent kidney infections are all symptoms of PKD.
The most prevalent kind of PKD can cause renal failure in certain patients. Cysts in the liver and other body organs can also result from PKD.
Although PKD cannot be cured, there are treatments that can lessen its symptoms and effects. Medication and lifestyle modifications are two possible forms of treatment. Dialysis or a kidney transplant are two options for treating kidney failure.
KIDNEY CYSTS-DES ADPKD
Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease (ACKD): What is it?
People with chronic kidney illness, particularly those on dialysis, may develop acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD). The kidneys of individuals with ACKD are of normal size, and no other body parts develop cysts. Many times, this kind of kidney cyst has no symptoms. ACKD cysts typically don’t require treatment. They can be treated with medications that drain the cysts if they cause problems.