In the article we will look at what it is - a parenchymal cyst of the left kidney.
A cyst in the parenchyma of the left kidney is a benign neoplasm, which is part of a group of rare diseases and occurs only in 5% of cases. The pathological process affects parenchymal tissue. As a rule, the disease occurs in representatives of both sexes who are over 50 years of age.
Description and complications
Many people are wondering what it is - a parenchymal cyst of the right kidney?
The right-sided cyst is much more common than the left-sided one, which is due to its anatomical structure suitable for various pathological processes. According to statistics, men more often suffer from cyst formation on the right side.
The shape of the cystic formation in the kidney is round, with thin walls. The cyst is surrounded by a capsule containing fluid, exudate. If the tumor is small and single, it does not pose a danger to the patient. In the vast majority of cases, the disease affects the kidney on only one side. It is extremely rare for cysts to form on both kidneys at the same time.
If timely measures are not taken to treat or eliminate a small parenchymal cyst of the left kidney, it may rupture, which will cause the fluid contained in it to leak into the abdominal cavity. Such a complication will lead to peritonitis, which in turn can cause death.
Several more serious complications with a parenchymal cyst of the left kidney are suppuration of the formation, death of parenchymal cells, as well as transformation of the growth from benign to malignant, and the development of acute kidney failure. Also, a serious consequence of cystic formation can be hemorrhage, which requires immediate medical intervention.
What it is, a parenchymal cyst of the left kidney, is now clear. Next, we will find out the causes of this pathology.
What is the diagnosis of the disease?
It is important! The diagnosis of a parenchymal cyst of the right kidney can be made on the basis of patient complaints, anamnesis, clinical manifestations and instrumental studies.
If a cyst is suspected, ultrasound of the kidneys, intravenous excretory pyelography and radioisotope scintigraphy are indicated.
In order to determine the treatment method and select the surgical technique, in addition to ultrasound and excretory pyelography, computed tomography of the retroperitoneal organs with contrast is indicated; this is necessary to exclude the malignant nature of the formation.
Reasons for appearance
The exact causes of the appearance of parenchymal neoplasms in the kidneys have not yet been established. However, there are a number of risk factors that can provoke a pathological process:
- Organ injury.
- The presence of an infectious disease in the urinary system.
- Kidney pathologies caused by inflammation.
- Genetic predisposition.
In addition, scientists have found that a parenchymal cyst can become a complication against the background of the following diseases:
- Urolithiasis disease.
- Pyelonephritis of non-infectious and infectious origin.
- BPH.
- Arterial hypertension.
In addition, doctors associate the formation of kidney cysts with tuberculosis and surgical intervention on organs.
In rare cases, improper formation of kidney tissue during fetal development may play a role. This may happen due to a genetic factor.
Causes of parenchymal cyst formation
Several factors take part in the development of pathology. The process of the appearance of a parenchymal cyst can be described as follows:
- formation of free space between tissues;
- filling this space with liquid;
- production of collagen by tissues around the cavity, which becomes insoluble, as a result of which the tissue is torn away from the space and takes the form of a capsule.
More than half of cases of the disease are congenital. It is very difficult to determine the factor in the appearance of parenchymal cysts. This is due to the fact that the manifestations of a cyst in the right or left kidney are often masked under the underlying disease. If the pathology is congenital, the symptoms of the disease may not manifest themselves at all. They are diagnosed randomly and in this case it is impossible to identify the cause of their formation.
Acquired parenchymal cysts are much less common. Here are the main reasons:
- kidney diseases, among which a special place is occupied by urolithiasis and pyelonephritis;
- physical damage, injury, radiation exposure is also dangerous.
The prognosis of the pathology depends on the cause of its development, the presence of concomitant diseases, location and size. The larger and closer the formation is to the kidney, the higher the risk of complications. Some of the most dangerous are bleeding and purulent discharge.
Symptoms
The formation of a cystic formation in the kidneys is asymptomatic in the first stages. It is for this reason that it is not easy to diagnose the pathology, and the cyst reaches large sizes undetected.
Subsequently, the expanded tumor begins to put pressure on adjacent tissues and organs, which manifests itself in specific symptoms. The main sign of pathology in the kidneys is pain in the lumbar region, the severity of which increases with physical activity. The localization of the pain syndrome depends on the side on which the cyst is located; if the left kidney is affected, the pain will be on the left.
There are other characteristic signs of renal cystosis:
- Frequent urge to urinate.
- Increased pressure in the kidneys.
- Disruption of the urinary process.
There are frequent cases when the contents of the cyst become infected, which provokes an inflammatory process in the nephrons and pelvis. This phenomenon is characterized by painful urination, as well as blood in the urine, causing general malaise. Impaired urination causes fluid retention. A person’s performance decreases sharply, and weakness appears.
What is it, a parenchymal cyst of the left kidney, everyone wants to know.
Classification and varieties
Kidney parenchyma is a material with a complex structure. Under the influence of certain factors, the tissue can grow, gradually fencing off from the tubules and turning into a cyst.
A parenchymal cyst can be:
- Congenital . Appears due to a mutation (renal tubules are fused). The probable cause of this pathology is the use of drugs or alcohol; cigarettes also have a negative effect on a person.
- Purchased . It occurs due to diseases that directly affect the canals, which leads to their blockage. These ailments include: stones, inflammation of the prostate gland, hypertension.
Depending on the number of cystic formations, there are:
- Single types . A single formation, as a rule, affects the left kidney. The development of the disease is asymptomatic, but when it reaches a large size, the pathology leads to severe disorders.
- Multiple species . Even small ones, numerous formations cause constant pain to a person.
Parenchymal formation of the left kidney
The kidneys are located in the human body outside the abdominal cavity. Therefore, this organ can be felt by palpation if you lightly press on the area under the ribs. In this case, any pathogenic neoplasms can be identified by a simple examination method.
As the patient ages, this organ begins to lose healthy tissue, the organ becomes weaker and no longer filters fluid so quickly and well.
Tumor in the right kidney
Parenchymatosis of the right kidney is considered a subtype of benign neoplasms. This type of disease is associated with age-related changes in the body, so the disease occurs mainly in older patients.
According to statistics, a parenchymal cyst is benign; after fifty years, a period of high risk of developing a cyst comes; men are most often affected. Medicine is currently unable to explain the reason for such gender discrimination.
Double defeat
As a rule, specialists diagnose a cyst in the left or right kidney separately.
Bilateral kidney damage is less common. This pathology occurs if the patient has additional diseases that cause bilateral kidney damage.
The disease can be identified by its characteristic symptoms - back pain, high blood pressure, and blood clots may be passed in the urine.
To restore normal kidney function, a person will have to undergo long-term therapy.
Congenital type
A congenital cyst occurs due to a failure in intrauterine development, when the child was just being formed and organs were being formed. The tendency to form cysts on the kidneys is often inherited by children from their parents.
Acquired appearance
This type of disease can develop throughout a person’s life; the cyst is a consequence of various kidney pathologies and inflammation in the urinary system.
After fifty years, the probability of the occurrence of pathology increases to 30%. According to statistical data, acquired parenchymal cyst occurs due to the anatomical features of the kidneys.
Diagnostics
Due to the latent form of the pathology in the first stages of cyst development, it is impossible to identify the disease without a full examination. To detect a parenchymal cyst of the left kidney, it is necessary to undergo the following studies:
- Ultrasonography.
- Blood and urine examination.
- Urine culture for bacteriological composition.
- Blood test for biochemistry.
- Computed and magnetic resonance imaging.
- Urography.
Using instrumental research methods, it is possible to obtain a clear image of the tumor, determine the size of the cyst and its condition. CT and MRI help determine the exact location of the cyst. Laboratory methods make it possible to identify the presence of an inflammatory process and detect the pathological process before complications arise.
An effective diagnostic method is urine analysis. The presence of sand, proteins, pus or blood in it indicates the development of a pathological process in the kidneys.
Urography involves the introduction of a contrast agent, which after a certain time appears in the examined kidney. In this way, it is possible to establish the patency of organs and assess the degree of their damage.
Parenchymal cysts of both kidneys
It is quite rare that parenchymal cysts affect both kidneys at once. The main complication of this phenomenon is considered to be a sharp increase in the size of the formations. The pathological process makes serious changes in the functioning of organs, which can cause the development of kidney failure and functional disorder.
Another danger of bilateral kidney cysts is the possibility of its spread to other organs, in particular the pancreas. In addition, the spleen, liver, lungs, intestines, stomach and seminal vesicles can be affected by the proliferation of cysts in the kidneys.
This is the most unfavorable prognosis for the development of the pathological process, since it indicates malignancy of the parenchymal formation. The consequences of such a process can be irreversible and lead to the spread of cancer throughout the body, which ultimately causes death.
Treatment
As a rule, the patient consults a doctor at the moment when severe symptoms of a dysfunctional disorder in the kidneys appear. This occurs as a result of increased formation and pressure on the organ.
The choice of therapy directly depends on the size of the cyst, as well as the stage of its development and the presence of other neoplasms on the kidney. In medical practice, cases have been reported when the formation resolved on its own, but this is very rare, and you should not rely on these examples.
Disease Prevention
It is impossible to prevent a congenital cyst, which cannot be said about the acquired form of the disease. As part of disease prevention, it is necessary to promptly treat any urological diseases and follow all doctor’s instructions if there are chronic pathologies.
If it turns out that the disease is discovered, you should not give up; you must immediately consult a doctor and undergo all the necessary tests. Timely treatment of pathology is the key to a healthy and happy future!
Waiting tactics
If the cyst is small and does not cause discomfort to the patient, a wait-and-see approach is chosen, which involves regular monitoring of the condition of the tumor by a specialist.
The development of cysts can be prevented by following a special diet, which involves limiting the consumption of foods that contain a lot of salt and proteins. In other words, patients are recommended to eat a carbohydrate diet. It is necessary to completely stop drinking alcoholic beverages and coffee, as well as smoking, spicy and smoked foods. An important stage of nutrition is reducing fluid intake.
Conservative treatment
Conservative treatment of renal parenchymal cysts involves taking various medications. The effectiveness of this treatment is determined by the presence of complications. As a rule, to relieve symptoms, the patient is prescribed antibiotics, various anti-inflammatory and painkillers, as well as drugs with antihypertensive effects. It should be borne in mind that this therapy is not aimed at eliminating the cause of cyst formation.
Cyst removal using laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is a less traumatic method of surgical treatment of benign tumors. The cyst is completely eliminated. Parenchymal cysts carry the risk of damaging healthy kidney tissue during surgery, so small incisions cannot be used. The patient will be warned about this in advance. During surgery, partial nephrectomy and even nephrectomy may be required.
The essence of laparoscopy is the introduction of sterile gas into the operated area to expand the surgical field. After this, a special surgical instrument is inserted through a small puncture. After removing the cyst, the instruments are removed and the incisions are sutured. Sometimes drainage tubes are installed. If the outflow of urine is impaired, the surgeon decides to install a catheter in the ureter.
In addition to removing the cyst, in some cases the tumor is removed along with part of the kidney tissue. The organ remains in place. Indications for performing such an operation are: large size of the cyst, its location on the surface of the kidney. Contraindications are diseases that lead to complications during surgery, poor blood clotting. After laparoscopy, the patient is prescribed antibacterial therapy and painkillers. If necessary, treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is carried out. Sutures are removed approximately one week after surgery. After surgery, the patient is recommended to do special exercises and physical activity.
