Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", via dell'Istria, 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
Pediatric Emergency Room and Emergency Medicine Unit, Giannina Gaslini Children's Hospital and Research Institute, Genoa, Italy.
Eur J Pediatr. 2021 Sep;180(9):2723-2729. doi: 10.1007/s00431-021-04080-5. Epub 2021 Apr 14.
The terms "epididymal cyst" and "spermatocele" are commonly used to describe the same entity, but, conversely, they are slightly different. Epididymal cyst is a benign mass, and it is more common than previously thought in prepubertal age. Pathogenic mechanisms for epididymal cyst have not been fully clarified yet, even if epididymal cysts have been reported in association with other malformations of the urinary tract or complex syndromes. Epididymal cyst is easily characterized and differentiated from spermatocele using ultrasound imaging. Conservative management constitutes the treatment of choice in the majority of cases, and surgery is recommended only in selected cases. Conclusion: To date, a review on epididymal cyst in childhood is lacking in the literature. Herein, an overview of knowledge about epididymal cyst in children has been carried out with particular attention to differential diagnosis, proper management, and practice guidelines for caregivers of children who may present with an epididymal cyst. What is Known: • Epididymal cyst is a benign sac in the testicles which is usually asymptomatic. • Epididymal cyst is easily diagnosed by ultrasound scans, and it is considered a self-limiting disease in the majority of cases. What is New: • Insight on differential diagnosis between epididymal cyst and spermatocele. • Valuable knowledge on the best management strategy for epididymal cyst and on practice guidelines for parents of children presenting with epididymal cyst.
术语“附睾囊肿”和“精液囊肿”通常用于描述同一实体，但反之，它们略有不同。附睾囊肿是一种良性肿块，在青春期前比以前认为的更为常见。尽管附睾囊肿与其他泌尿道畸形或复杂综合征有关，但附睾囊肿的发病机制尚未完全阐明。附睾囊肿可以通过超声成像轻松地进行特征描述和与精液囊肿区分。在大多数情况下，保守治疗是首选，仅在选定的情况下才推荐手术。结论：迄今为止，文献中缺乏儿童附睾囊肿的综述。本文对儿童附睾囊肿的知识进行了概述，特别关注鉴别诊断、适当的管理以及可能出现附睾囊肿的儿童的护理人员的实践指南。已知：• 附睾囊肿是睾丸中的良性囊，通常无症状。• 附睾囊肿通过超声扫描即可轻松诊断，在大多数情况下被认为是一种自限性疾病。新内容：• 对附睾囊肿和精液囊肿的鉴别诊断有深入了解。• 对附睾囊肿的最佳管理策略以及对出现附睾囊肿的儿童的父母的实践指南有宝贵的了解。
