What is an Urachal Cyst?
Urachal cysts are benign and often asymptomatic, but they can cause complications such as infections or abscesses. If the patient has a fever, pain in their abdomen, or is vomiting blood then surgery may be necessary to remove the cyst. Urinary bladder cancer can also result from an untreated urachal cyst so it's important to seek medical attention if there are any concerning symptoms.
A Urachal Cyst is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the body that can be found anywhere on or inside the body. The most common location for this type of cysts are around the urinary bladder, but they can also occur near other organs such as kidneys and intestines. A Urachal Cyst usually has no symptoms until it becomes infected or inflamed, which may cause pain during urination, fever, nausea and vomiting. It is important to seek medical attention if these symptoms persist because infection could lead to cancerous cells developing within the cyst. If surgery is needed then there are two options: Laparoscopy or open surgery (abdomen). The first option minimizes scarring while open surgery allows surgeons to remove all diseased tissue from where it was located
What are the symptoms of an urachal cyst?
The most common symptom for an Urachus Cysts is abdominal pain which typically occurs when passing gas, having sex, or during bowel movements due to pressure from enlargement of the uterus onto intestines/bladder area during pregnancy
Urachal cysts are typically diagnosed through a CT scan, MRI, or laparoscopy. A CT scan will show the size and shape of the mass as well as any associated abnormalities such as fluid collection or calcification. An MRI can be used to confirm if there is cancer present in the mass. If surgery is needed, a laparoscopy will allow for diagnosis and removal without having to open up the abdomen (incision)
Urachal cysts are benign and do not pose a risk to the patient. If left untreated, however, they can cause problems such as infection or abscess formation. Urinary bladder infections may be caused by bacteria from the urachal cyst that has migrated into the urinary tract. This is more likely to happen if there is an obstruction in the bladder outlet due to enlarged prostate glands or other conditions which make it difficult for urine flow out of the body normally.