Cyst in the abdomen | Abdominal area

Cyst in the abdomen

Cysts are spherical, fluid-filled cavities which can occur in almost all organs. Small cysts, for example in the liver or ovaries, do not require treatment and do not cause any discomfort. Larger cysts should be regularly observed in ultrasound, so that an increase in size can be detected.

If an organ is affected by many cysts, a restriction of organ function can be triggered. In this case, removal of the cyst is necessary. Pain or restriction may also occur when pressure is applied to other structures and removal of the cyst may be appropriate.

In rare cases, cysts can also degenerate malignantly, which is why controls are useful. The cause of cysts is very different. Ovarian cysts are often caused by hormones.

Also chronic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, or tumours can cause cysts to form. Since most cysts do not cause any symptoms, they are often random diagnoses when abdominal imaging is performed for other reasons. Cysts are conspicuous both in ultrasound and in computer tomography or MRI.

Testicle in the abdomen

During embryonic development, the testicles are located in the abdomen and only at the end of pregnancy do they migrate down into the scrotum. In some babies, especially in premature births, this development is not yet complete. By the end of the first year of life the testicles should have migrated into the scrotum. If this is not the case, the boys have to be operated, as overheating of the testicles limits fertility and can also lead to degeneration. The position of the testicles is checked by the paediatrician during the preventive examinations and in case of malposition a referral to the paediatric urologist is issued.

Irrigation of the abdomen

Irrigation of the abdominal cavity is performed during surgery to remove possible pathogens from the abdomen so that inflammation of the peritoneum does not occur afterwards. This is particularly important in the case of abscesses, i.e. accumulations of pus, as bacteria can easily enter the peritoneal cavity. The abdomen is rinsed several times with a saline solution, which is then aspirated.

The saline solution may also contain antibiotics. If necessary, a drainage can be placed over which the abdomen can be regularly rinsed after the operation.