Peritoneal Inclusion Cyst: Effects on Fertility and Antepartum Course

Peritoneal inclusion cyst presenting as an umbilical hernia: case report and systematic review of the literature

Peritoneal inclusion cysts (PICs) are a rare and benign condition of uncertain pathogenesis. The fluid-filled, mesothelial-lined cysts manifest within the abdominopelvic cavity. This case report details an unusual occurrence of a 97 mm PIC- presenting as an umbilical hernia- in a 26-year-old male patient with no prior surgical history. Following pre-operative cross-sectional imaging, this was managed through open excision without complication. A systematic review of the literature highlighted 30 previous cases [26F, 4M] with a mean age of 34 years (std ±15.4) and a median diameter of 93 mm [IQR, 109 mm]. A total of 53% (n = 16) of cases had a history of previous abdominal surgery. Surgical excision is safe and laparoscopic modality should be considered (<1% recurrence). Accepting the limited evidence base, image guided drainage should be avoided (50% recurrence, n = 2).

Rapid Growth of Pelvic Cyst during Pregnancy: A Case Report

We describe a patient with bilateral cystic tumors of the pelvis. The left one rapidly grew during pregnancy and combined with the right one, whose clinical course made diagnosis difficult. A pregnant woman with a history of laparotomy was referred to us due to suspected bilateral pelvic cysts. The left-sided cyst had rapidly grown to 27 cm in diameter and merged with the right cyst, forming a large cyst occupying the entire pelvic cavity in the third trimester. Considering this rapid growth, cesarean section and resection of the cyst were performed at 37th week. The resected cyst consisted of two components: a large unilocular cyst containing serous fluid and a multilocular cyst suggestive of ovarian mucinous cystadenoma in the right ovary. The wall of the former largely lacked lining epithelium, but it was partly continuous with the latter mucinous epithelium. Immunohistochemically, estrogen and progesterone receptors were focally positive in the cyst wall, suggesting that pregnancy-associated sex-hormones may have contributed to the rapid growth of the cyst. We diagnosed this condition as a peritoneal inclusion cyst margining with a right ovarian mucinous cystadenoma. Peritoneal inclusion cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a rapidly growing pelvic mass during pregnancy.

Benign multicystic mesothelioma and peritoneal inclusion cysts: are they the same clinical and histopathological entities? A systematic review to find an evidence-based management

PURPOSE

Peritoneal mesothelial cysts (PMC) are a clinical dilemma because of their true pathogenic nature. Many definitions have been associated with PMC, including "benign multicystic mesothelioma", "cystic mesothelioma", "multilocular peritoneal inclusion cysts", ''inflammatory cysts of the peritoneum" or "postoperative peritoneal cyst".

METHODS

We herein performed a systematic review of the literature focusing on clinical and histopathological aspects of PMC, diagnosis, and therapies. Moreover, we described our experience with a case of PMC in a young female.

RESULTS

Since there is often a history of prior surgery or inflammatory disease, most authors consider PMC of reactive origin. However, in some cases they occur without any documentable signs of disease or injury. A variety of clinical findings can complicate the preoperative assessment and a multitude of histological pictures may potentially lead to a misdiagnosis. The absence of a uniform treatment strategy and lack of long-term follow-up often hinder the accurate definition leading to unnecessary or unnecessarily aggressive therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

PMC are more common than had previously been thought. Most authors consider them non-neoplastic; thus the designation of "peritoneal inclusion cyst" is preferable. The term "mesothelioma" should be used only in cases of histological evidences of atypia. The high rates of recurrence suggest that the goal of treatment should not be necessarily complete eradication, but symptomatic relief through individualized treatment. This is a topic of particular importance, especially in young female where recurrence rates could be lower than those reported in adults and where an improperly aggressive treatment could have repercussions on fertility.