| Abstract: | In a 20-year period at the Los Angeles Children's Hospital, 46 infants and children have had operation for cysts within the abdomen. The age range of patients was from newborn to 13 years. Most of them were under four years old. There were four general groups of these cysts. (1) About one-half were cysts of the ovary, some of them serous and some dermoid. These cysts are attached by a stalk that often twists, causing gangrene or rupture with acute symptoms simulating appendicitis. (2) Next in frequency were cysts arising in the mesentery of the intestine. They usually caused little trouble until by their size (up to a 2-quart capacity) they created pressure and obstruction in the intestine. (3) Enteric cysts were found in four patients. (4) Cysts of the pancreas were present in three of the children.X-ray examination was helpful in diagnosis. Usually the type of cyst was not determined until operation was done. Transection of the intestinal tract sometimes was necessary for removal of the cyst. Surgical correction was satisfactory in 44 of the 46 cases. |
