Abdominal Cysts: Types, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Nursing Care
Abdominal cysts are fluid-filled or partly fluid-filled lesions found in the abdomen or pelvis. The term describes a group of conditions rather than one single disease. Some are congenital and discovered before birth or in childhood; others are found later during assessment of pain, swelling or an incidental scan. This lesson focuses mainly on mesenteric and omental cysts, important uncommon surgical causes of an abdominal mass, while showing how they differ from other abdominal cysts.
For nursing students, the priorities are to assess the patient systematically, recognise obstruction, infection, bleeding, rupture or shock early, support safe investigations, prepare for specialist-led treatment and give clear follow-up education. Imaging helps locate and describe a cyst, but the exact type may only be confirmed after specialist assessment and, when removed, histopathology.
Quick overview: Many mesenteric or omental cysts cause no symptoms at first. When they enlarge, they may cause vague abdominal pain, increasing abdominal girth, a palpable mass, early satiety, nausea or bowel symptoms. Sudden severe pain, persistent vomiting, fever, guarding, abdominal distension, faintness or shock may indicate a complication and need urgent assessment. A cystic abdominal mass must be characterised before treatment because ovarian, pancreatic, hepatic, renal, parasitic, congenital, inflammatory and neoplastic lesions can look similar.
Urgent safety point: A patient with acute severe abdominal pain, a rigid or very tender abdomen, persistent vomiting, fever with deterioration, fainting, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, confusion or reduced urine output needs urgent medical and surgical review. Do not delay referral while waiting for a routine scan or laboratory result.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to:
- Define an abdominal cyst and describe the mesentery and omentum.
- Classify common cystic and cyst-like lesions found in the abdomen.
- Explain how the location and size of a cyst produce symptoms and complications.
- Recognise common and urgent clinical features and take a focused history.
- Discuss the role and limitations of ultrasound, CT, MRI and laboratory tests.
- Outline specialist-led medical, radiological and surgical management.
- Plan pre-operative and post-operative nursing care and patient education.
Definition and Important Terms
An abdominal cyst is a sac-like lesion containing fluid, lymph, blood, mucus, or a mixture of fluid and debris within the abdomen or pelvis. A simple cyst has a thin wall and fluid content; a complex cyst may contain septa, debris, blood, thick walls or solid areas. The word “cyst” can also be used loosely for a cyst-like collection that is not a true cyst.
- True cyst: a cavity with an epithelial, endothelial or mesothelial lining, depending on its origin.
- Pseudocyst: a fluid collection without a true cellular lining, often following inflammation, trauma or leakage.
- Mesenteric cyst: a cyst arising within the mesentery, the tissue that attaches bowel to the abdominal wall and carries vessels, lymphatics and nerves.
- Omental cyst: a cyst arising within the omentum, a fold of peritoneal tissue that hangs from the stomach and lies over the abdominal organs.
- Abdominal mass: a general term for an abnormal lump; it may be cystic, solid, organ-based, vascular or due to fluid.
Relevant Anatomy
The mesentery
The mesentery is a double layer of peritoneum that suspends parts of the intestine from the posterior abdominal wall. It contains the blood vessels, lymphatic channels, nerves and supporting connective tissue for the bowel. A cyst in the mesentery may lie between bowel loops or close to the vessels supplying them. If a lesion shares a blood supply with bowel or is firmly attached, safe removal may require removal and reconnection of a short bowel segment.
The omentum
The omentum is a mobile fold of peritoneum associated with the stomach and transverse colon. It contains fat, blood vessels and immune tissue. An omental cyst may move more freely in the abdominal cavity than a cyst fixed to the mesentery, but examination findings vary and are not enough to identify the lesion with certainty.
Types of Abdominal Cysts and Cystic Lesions
Classification depends on where the lesion begins, the tissue that lines it, its contents and the underlying cause. Several different diseases can appear as a fluid-filled mass on examination or imaging.
| Type or group | Usual site or origin | Learning points |
|---|---|---|
| Mesenteric cyst | Mesentery of the small or large bowel | A broad group that may be lymphatic, mesothelial, enteric, developmental or another type. Symptoms depend on size and proximity to bowel and vessels. |
| Omental cyst | Greater or lesser omentum | May be incidental or cause distension, pain or a mobile abdominal mass; twisting, bleeding, infection or rupture can cause acute symptoms. |
| Enteric duplication cyst | Along or attached to the gastrointestinal tract | Usually congenital; may share a wall or blood supply with bowel and can cause obstruction, bleeding or inflammation. |
| Retroperitoneal cyst | Behind the peritoneal cavity | May be related to lymphatic, developmental, urinary or other tissue. A large lesion can displace or compress abdominal organs. |
| Organ-specific cyst | Liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, bile duct or adnexa | Investigations and treatment depend on the organ and exact diagnosis. Examples include a pancreatic pseudocyst, renal cyst, choledochal cyst or ovarian cyst. |
| Parasitic cyst or cyst-like lesion | May occur in the liver or other abdominal sites | Consider exposure and local epidemiology. Some suspected parasitic cysts require special precautions; an unplanned needle puncture can cause serious harm. |
| Abscess, haematoma, loculated fluid or cystic tumour | Variable | These may resemble a cyst but need different treatment. Solid nodules, thick walls, enhancement, blood products or infection change the differential diagnosis. |
Scope of this lesson: “Abdominal cyst” is a broad curriculum heading. The detailed nursing and surgical discussion below centres on mesenteric and omental cysts. Ovarian, renal, liver, pancreatic and bile-duct cysts require organ-specific assessment and should not all be managed as if they were the same condition.
Causes and Pathophysiology
The cause depends on the cyst type. Some lesions develop before birth because of abnormal formation of the gastrointestinal tract, lymphatic channels or other tissues. Some arise after inflammation, infection, trauma, bleeding or lymphatic obstruction. In many patients, no single cause is identified. Mesenteric and omental cysts are uncommon, and reported patterns vary across case series; they can occur in children or adults.
How a cyst produces symptoms
- Fluid accumulates: fluid, lymph or other material collects within a tissue space or cyst wall.
- The lesion enlarges: slow expansion stretches surrounding tissues and may increase abdominal girth.
- Pressure develops: the cyst may press on bowel, stomach, bladder, ureters, blood vessels or nerves, causing pain, early satiety, vomiting, urinary symptoms or altered bowel habit.
- Local complication occurs: infection, haemorrhage, torsion, rupture or leakage may cause sudden pain, fever, peritoneal irritation or shock.
- Bowel involvement: compression, twisting or shared vascular supply can lead to intestinal obstruction, volvulus or impaired bowel perfusion.
Clinical Manifestations
Asymptomatic or slowly enlarging cyst
- Incidental discovery on antenatal ultrasound, abdominal ultrasound, CT or during surgery for another condition.
- Gradually increasing abdominal size or visible distension.
- Vague, intermittent abdominal discomfort or a sense of heaviness.
- Palpable abdominal mass, fullness or early satiety when the lesion is large.
- Nausea, poor appetite, constipation, diarrhoea or intermittent vomiting if bowel function is affected.
- In an infant or young child: feeding intolerance, failure to thrive, abdominal swelling or features of intestinal obstruction.
Features suggesting a complication
- Sudden or rapidly worsening abdominal pain.
- Increasing abdominal tenderness, guarding or rigidity.
- Persistent vomiting, abdominal distension, inability to pass stool or flatus, or bilious vomiting.
- Fever, rigors, tachycardia or other signs of infection and sepsis.
- Pallor, dizziness, fainting, hypotension, confusion or reduced urine output, which may indicate bleeding, dehydration or shock.
- Rapidly enlarging mass, new respiratory difficulty from severe distension, or new urinary obstruction symptoms.
Clinical caution: There is no single symptom or palpation sign that proves a mass is a mesenteric or omental cyst. Absence of pain, fever or a palpable mass does not exclude an abdominal cyst, and a cystic appearance on a scan does not by itself prove that it is benign.
Assessment and Clinical Examination
Assessment should be systematic and repeated if symptoms change. Begin with urgency and the patient’s overall condition before focusing on the mass. Follow facility triage and escalation procedures.
Focused history
- Ask when the swelling or pain began, how it has changed, where it is located and whether pain is constant, intermittent or sudden.
- Ask about nausea, vomiting, appetite, weight change, early satiety, bowel movements, passage of flatus, fever, urinary symptoms and ability to eat or drink.
- Ask about recent trauma, previous abdominal infection, surgery, known cysts, liver or pancreatic disease, and prior imaging.
- Ask about pregnancy possibility and menstrual or gynaecological symptoms when relevant. Ovarian and pregnancy-related conditions can mimic an abdominal cyst.
- For children, ask about prenatal scan findings, feeding, growth, wet nappies, stooling, activity and episodes of crying or drawing up the legs.
- Ask about medicines, allergies, chronic illness, previous hospital admissions and relevant travel, animal or parasite exposure if the clinical history suggests it.
Physical assessment
- Primary survey: assess airway, breathing and circulation when the patient is acutely unwell. Identify shock, sepsis or severe dehydration immediately.
- Vital signs: record and trend temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, pain score and level of consciousness. Measure weight and abdominal girth when indicated.
- Inspection: observe general appearance, pallor, hydration, abdominal distension, visible peristalsis, scars, hernias or prominent veins while protecting privacy.
- Abdominal examination: auscultate and gently palpate according to training and local practice. Note tenderness, guarding, rigidity, bowel sounds and whether a mass is palpable. Avoid repeated forceful palpation of a painful abdomen.
- Assessment for compression: observe for vomiting, obstipation, jaundice, urinary retention, reduced urine output or respiratory compromise.
- Reassessment: document the time and findings. Escalate new pain, fever, persistent vomiting, increasing distension, hypotension, confusion or reduced urine output.
Investigations
No single test identifies every abdominal cyst. The team combines the clinical history, examination and imaging. The goals are to confirm that a lesion is cystic, identify the likely site of origin, describe its contents and relation to nearby organs, detect complications and plan safe management.
| Investigation | Purpose and possible findings | Nursing and interpretation points |
|---|---|---|
| Ultrasound | Often the first imaging test. Can identify a fluid-filled lesion, size, location, septa and some relation to bowel, liver, kidney or pelvis. | Non-invasive and does not use ionising radiation. A very large or complex lesion may be difficult to fully characterise; an inconclusive scan does not rule out important disease. |
| CT abdomen and pelvis | Defines extent, contents, wall features, calcification, pressure on adjacent organs and possible obstruction or complications. | Check pregnancy status, renal function, contrast allergy and the prescribed preparation. Use according to clinician decision and local resources. |
| MRI | Provides detailed soft-tissue and fluid characterisation and can help show relationships to organs and vessels. | May be selected when additional detail is needed or to avoid ionising radiation; availability and urgency affect choice. |
| Abdominal X-ray | May show bowel obstruction, displacement or calcification, but usually does not diagnose an uncomplicated cyst. | Use when ordered for a clinical question; do not treat a normal film as excluding a cyst. |
| Blood tests | Full blood count, inflammatory markers, renal profile, electrolytes, liver tests, glucose or pancreatic enzymes may help assess infection, dehydration, organ involvement or operative fitness. | Tests are selected for the presentation. Normal results do not exclude a cyst or an early complication. |
| Urine and pregnancy tests | Help assess urinary causes and pregnancy-related or gynaecological differentials. | Collect correctly, explain respectfully and protect privacy. |
| Histopathology | Examination of tissue after excision can establish the definitive lesion type and detect unexpected abnormal cells. | Label and send specimens according to facility procedure; ensure the result is followed up and communicated. |
Imaging features the team may describe: cyst contents, whether the lesion is single-chambered or multiloculated, wall thickness, septa, solid components, calcification, internal debris or blood, enhancement, and its relationship to bowel, vessels and organs. These features guide the differential diagnosis but may not provide a definite histological answer.
Differential Diagnosis
A cystic abdominal mass may arise from many organs or represent a collection rather than a true cyst. Important possibilities include:
| Possible diagnosis | Why it may resemble an abdominal cyst | Assessment focus |
|---|---|---|
| Ovarian or adnexal cyst | May present as pelvic fullness, pain or an abdominal mass. | Menstrual and pregnancy history, pelvic assessment and ultrasound; urgent evaluation for torsion or rupture. |
| Ascites or loculated peritoneal fluid | Can cause abdominal distension and shifting fluid. | Underlying liver, cardiac, renal, malignant or infectious causes; fluid studies only when ordered. |
| Hydronephrosis or renal cyst | A fluid-filled renal structure may be felt or seen as an abdominal mass. | Urinary symptoms, renal imaging and kidney function. |
| Pancreatic pseudocyst | May follow pancreatitis or pancreatic injury and produce upper abdominal pain or fullness. | History of pancreatitis or trauma, pancreatic enzymes and appropriate imaging. |
| Hepatic, splenic or bile-duct cyst | Organ-based cysts may become large or cause compression. | Jaundice, organ tests, location on imaging and specialist review. |
| Abscess or haematoma | Infected fluid or blood can appear cystic on imaging. | Fever, infection, trauma, recent procedure, haemoglobin and imaging characteristics. |
| Hydatid or other parasitic cyst | May appear as a cystic mass, especially in the liver or peritoneal region. | Exposure and local epidemiology; inform the specialist team before any invasive procedure. |
| Cystic tumour or necrotic mass | Some benign or malignant tumours contain fluid or necrotic areas. | Age, growth, systemic features, imaging complexity and histopathology. |
| Appendicular abscess or other bowel lesion | Can cause a tender mass, pain, fever or bowel symptoms. | Acute onset, tenderness, inflammatory signs and imaging of the bowel. |
Management of Abdominal Cysts
Treatment is determined by the exact suspected cyst type, symptoms, size, location, imaging features, age, comorbidities and risk of complications. A surgeon or appropriate specialist should guide care. The management of an ovarian cyst, pancreatic pseudocyst, hydatid cyst, renal cyst or choledochal cyst is different from management of a mesenteric cyst.
Initial management and stabilisation
- Urgently assess and refer a patient with severe pain, peritonitis, obstruction, suspected rupture, sepsis or shock.
- Assess airway, breathing, circulation, observations, pain, hydration, mental status and urine output.
- Maintain nil by mouth if urgent imaging, anaesthesia or surgery may be required and this is directed by the clinical team.
- Establish IV access, obtain ordered blood tests, and administer prescribed fluids, analgesia, antiemetics or antimicrobials.
- Prepare for imaging, transfer or theatre as directed; document findings, allergies, medicines and changes in condition.
- Use infection-prevention measures and communicate deterioration promptly.
Observation and planned specialist review
Some cystic lesions, particularly selected small or antenatally detected lesions, may be monitored with repeat imaging instead of immediate surgery. Observation is appropriate only when the specialist team has assessed the likely cyst type, symptoms, growth and complication risk and provided a follow-up plan. A patient should not be reassured solely because a mass is painless or was called a cyst on one scan.
Surgical treatment
For symptomatic mesenteric or omental cysts and for lesions with complications or concerning uncertainty, complete surgical excision is often preferred when it can be done safely. The operation may be laparoscopic or open depending on size, location, anatomy, complications, available expertise and equipment. The surgeon aims to remove the lesion while protecting bowel, blood vessels, ureters and other organs.
- Omental cyst: may often be separated and excised from the omentum.
- Mesenteric cyst: may be close to bowel blood vessels or share a bowel wall or supply. The surgeon may need to remove a short involved segment of bowel and reconnect the remaining bowel.
- Very extensive or adherent lesion: complete removal may be unsafe or impractical. A specialist may choose partial excision, drainage or another procedure; incomplete treatment may carry a higher recurrence risk and requires follow-up.
- Histopathology: removed tissue is commonly sent for examination to confirm the diagnosis.
Do not attempt unsupervised aspiration or drainage. A needle procedure is not a routine substitute for characterising an abdominal mass. The specialist team should decide whether sampling or drainage is appropriate because the suspected type, location and contents affect procedural safety and diagnostic value.
Complication-specific care
Obstruction, volvulus, bleeding, infection, rupture or peritonitis may require urgent resuscitation, antibiotics, drainage or surgery depending on the cause and the patient’s condition. Treatment is individualised. Do not delay emergency referral in order to establish the exact cyst subtype at the bedside.
Nursing Management
Nursing care supports early recognition, safe preparation, symptom relief, prevention of avoidable harm, recovery and patient understanding. Follow the prescriber’s orders, surgical plan and local facility protocol.
A. Pre-operative nursing care
| No. | Nursing action | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record baseline vital signs, pain score, abdominal findings, hydration, mental status and relevant history; repeat observations as directed. | Provides a baseline and helps detect deterioration or developing complications. |
| 2 | Escalate sudden severe pain, guarding, fever, persistent vomiting, tachycardia, hypotension, confusion, pallor, distension or reduced urine output immediately. | These may indicate obstruction, infection, bleeding, peritonitis or shock. |
| 3 | Maintain nil by mouth only when ordered or required by the immediate plan; record last oral intake and explain the reason. | Supports safe preparation if anaesthesia or urgent intervention is planned. |
| 4 | Maintain IV access as prescribed; administer ordered fluids and medicines; monitor the IV site and response. | Supports hydration and access for treatment or anaesthesia. |
| 5 | Collect ordered blood, urine or pregnancy tests and prepare the patient for ultrasound, CT or MRI. | Provides diagnostic information and helps the team plan safe imaging and treatment. |
| 6 | Check allergies, prescribed medicines, consent status, identity and pre-operative documentation using the facility checklist. | Reduces preventable medication, transfer and procedure errors. |
| 7 | Administer prescribed analgesia, antiemetics or antibiotics; record timing, effect and any adverse reaction. | Improves comfort and ensures ordered treatment is evaluated. |
| 8 | Explain investigations and preparation in language the patient understands; invite questions and involve family only with consent. | Reduces anxiety and supports informed participation. |
| 9 | Document changes and give a clear handover to the receiving ward, theatre, referral centre or next clinician. | Maintains continuity and reduces delays in care. |
B. Post-operative nursing care
- Airway and breathing: receive the patient with a structured handover; assess airway patency, respiratory effort, oxygen saturation and level of consciousness. Position and give oxygen as prescribed.
- Circulation and observations: monitor pulse, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and pain according to recovery-room and ward policy. Report trends suggesting bleeding, infection or deterioration.
- Pain and nausea: assess regularly, give prescribed medicines and reassess the response. Escalate severe or increasing pain rather than assuming it is routine.
- Wound and drains: inspect dressings for bleeding, leakage, redness or separation. If a drain is present, observe its amount, colour and patency and document output.
- Fluid balance and urine: monitor intake and output, hydration and urine output; report oliguria, persistent vomiting or worsening distension.
- Return of bowel function: monitor nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, passage of flatus or stool and tolerance of food. Advance diet as directed, especially if bowel resection was performed.
- Mobility and breathing exercises: support safe early mobilisation and deep breathing as appropriate; assess fall risk and follow activity instructions.
- Infection prevention: perform hand hygiene and aseptic wound care; observe for fever, wound infection, intra-abdominal collection or sepsis.
- Psychological support: explain progress and next steps, listen to concerns and offer culturally respectful support.
- Documentation and handover: record observations, interventions, response, wound/drain status, fluid balance, escalation and teaching.
C. Nursing care plan: common problems
| Nursing problem | Expected outcome | Key nursing interventions |
|---|---|---|
| Acute pain related to pressure, inflammation or surgery | Patient reports pain at a tolerable level and can rest and participate in care. | Assess location, severity and trend; position for comfort; give prescribed analgesia; reassess and document; escalate new or worsening pain. |
| Risk for deficient fluid volume related to vomiting, poor intake, fasting or fluid shifts | Observations and hydration remain within the patient’s clinical target; urine output is monitored. | Monitor intake/output, mucous membranes, observations and ordered tests; administer prescribed fluids; report hypotension, tachycardia or oliguria. |
| Risk for infection related to infected cyst, rupture or surgery | Patient remains clinically stable without signs of worsening infection or wound complication. | Use hand hygiene and aseptic technique; monitor temperature and observations; inspect wound; administer prescribed antimicrobials; report sepsis features. |
| Imbalanced nutrition or nausea related to abdominal pressure, vomiting or post-operative ileus | Patient tolerates the prescribed diet and maintains hydration and nutritional intake. | Assess nausea, vomiting and intake; provide ordered antiemetics; document bowel function; progress diet only according to the plan; request review if symptoms persist. |
| Anxiety related to diagnosis, surgery or uncertainty | Patient describes reduced anxiety and understands the immediate plan. | Give calm explanations; allow questions; avoid promises about diagnosis or outcome; protect privacy; involve chosen support person with consent. |
| Knowledge deficit related to new condition and follow-up | Patient or caregiver explains wound care, medicines, follow-up and danger signs before discharge. | Teach in small steps using the preferred language; use teach-back; give written instructions when available; clarify where and when to seek review. |
Complications
Complications related to the cyst
- Intestinal obstruction: pressure, compression or bowel involvement can obstruct the passage of intestinal contents.
- Volvulus or torsion: twisting of bowel or cyst may compromise blood supply and cause acute pain or ischaemia.
- Haemorrhage: bleeding into a cyst may cause sudden enlargement, pain, anaemia or shock.
- Infection: an infected cyst may cause fever, tenderness, abscess or sepsis.
- Rupture or leakage: may produce peritonitis or sudden deterioration; the risk and consequences depend on lesion type.
- Compression of organs: a large lesion can affect bowel, stomach, urinary tract, vessels or breathing.
- Recurrence: may occur after incomplete removal or in certain infiltrative cyst types; follow-up is important.
Potential post-operative complications
- Bleeding, wound infection, wound breakdown or anaesthetic complications.
- Persistent ileus, vomiting, bowel leak or anastomotic complication if bowel resection was performed.
- Intra-abdominal collection, infection or sepsis.
- Fluid imbalance, poor oral intake or delayed return of bowel function.
- Recurrence or a histopathology result requiring further specialist care.
Patient and Family Education
- Explain that “abdominal cyst” describes a group of conditions and that follow-up may be needed to confirm the exact type.
- Attend every imaging, surgical and clinic appointment, even if pain or swelling improves.
- Take prescribed medicines as directed; do not use leftover antibiotics or other medicines to try to shrink the cyst.
- Follow the discharge instructions for wound care, bathing, activity, diet and any drain.
- After bowel surgery, follow the surgical team’s advice on diet progression, activity and when normal bowel habits should return.
- Seek urgent care for worsening or sudden abdominal pain, fever, repeated vomiting, faintness, increasing swelling, inability to pass stool or gas, wound redness or discharge, or reduced urine output.
- For infants and children, caregivers should watch for poor feeding, fewer wet nappies, unusual sleepiness, abdominal swelling, green vomiting or persistent crying and seek help promptly.
Exam Revision: High-Yield Points
- “Abdominal cyst” is a descriptive umbrella term, not a single diagnosis.
- Mesenteric cysts arise in the tissue suspending bowel; omental cysts arise in the peritoneal fold associated with the stomach and transverse colon.
- Many lesions are incidental or produce vague pain, abdominal distension, early satiety or a palpable mass.
- Acute pain, vomiting, fever, guarding, obstruction or shock may indicate torsion, bleeding, infection, rupture or bowel compromise.
- Ultrasound is often the first imaging test; CT or MRI may be needed to define the lesion and its relationship to organs and vessels.
- Differentiate true cysts from pseudocysts, abscesses, haematomas, ascites, organ-based cysts and cystic tumours.
- Complete excision is often preferred for symptomatic mesenteric or omental cysts when safe; bowel resection may be required if bowel or its blood supply is involved.
- Nursing priorities include serial observations, early escalation, prescribed symptom control, safe pre-operative preparation, post-operative monitoring and follow-up education.
Revision Questions
- Define an abdominal cyst and distinguish a true cyst from a pseudocyst.
- Describe the anatomy of the mesentery and omentum.
- List five different types or causes of a cystic abdominal mass.
- Explain how a large mesenteric or omental cyst may cause pain, vomiting or bowel obstruction.
- What history and physical findings should be assessed in a patient with abdominal distension and a suspected cyst?
- Compare the roles of ultrasound, CT and MRI in assessment of an abdominal cyst.
- List six important differential diagnoses for a cystic abdominal mass.
- When may surgery be considered, and why might bowel resection be necessary for some mesenteric cysts?
- Outline pre-operative and post-operative nursing care for a patient undergoing cyst excision.
- List danger signs that require urgent review after discharge.
References and Further Reading
- American Pediatric Surgical Association. Mesenteric and Omental Cysts. Parent and caregiver information on presentation, diagnosis, surgery, recovery and complications.
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Abdominal / Duplication Cysts. Overview of congenital abdominal cyst types, diagnosis and treatment.
- Yacoub JH, Clark JA, Paal EE, Manning MA. Approach to Cystic Lesions in the Abdomen and Pelvis, with Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation. RadioGraphics. 2021;41(5):1368–1386. doi:10.1148/rg.2021200207.
- Tan JJ-Y, Tan K-K, Chew S-P. Mesenteric cysts: an institution experience over 14 years and review of literature. World Journal of Surgery. 2009;33:1961–1965. doi:10.1007/s00268-009-0133-0.
- Use current Ministry of Health and facility guidance for referral, peri-operative care, antimicrobial prescribing and emergency management in Uganda.
Last updated: October 2026. These lecture notes support nursing education and do not replace individual assessment, specialist advice, a qualified prescriber’s decision or current local protocols.