Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment method of peripelvic cysts.

Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 65 patients with peripelvic cysts admitted to the Department of Urology at Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital from January 2019 to January 2023. The diagnostic value of ultrasound, intravenous urography (IVU), and computed tomography urography (CTU) for peripelvic cysts was compared, and the efficacy of different surgical treatments for peripelvic cysts was further evaluated.

Results All 65 patients underwent ultrasound examination, which indicated cystic lesions at the renal hilum. 55 patients underwent IVU examination, but no cyst enhancement was found. Among them, 7 patients underwent retrograde pyelography due to poor imaging of the affected renal pelvis. All 53 patients who underwent CTU examination, which clearly showed the renal pelvis and cysts. Among the 65 patients, 5 did not undergo surgical treatment and were followed up, while 60 underwent surgery. Four patients were considered for radical nephrectomy due to suspected malignancy.56 cases underwent renal cysts decompression surgery, including 11 open surgeries, 37 laparoscopic surgeries, and 8 Da Vinci robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries. The operative time in the open surgery group was significantly shorter than that in the laparoscopic surgery group and robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery group. Compared with the open surgery group and laparoscopic surgery group, the robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery group had less intraoperative blood loss, lower postoperative analgesic use, shorter time to first ambulation after surgery, and shorter hospital stay.

Conclusions Ultrasound, IVU, and CTU are commonly used effective diagnostic tools for peripelvic cysts. Ultrasound can be used as a routine examination, while CTU is more accurate and has a higher diagnostic accuracy than IVU for this condition. Compared with open surgery, laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic cyst decompression surgery for peripelvic cysts result in less intraoperative blood loss and faster postoperative recovery.