A Laparoscopically Resected Retroperitoneal Müllerian Cyst

Abstract

A 44-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain and was diagnosed with appendicitis.

Abdominal computed tomography that day showed a 2.5-cm retroperitoneal cyst located on the dorsal side of the inferior mesenteric vein and on the right margin of the left ovarian artery. There was no evidence of malignancy on imaging. The appendicitis surgery was performed first, and the cyst was laparoscopically resected in the second postoperative month. Postoperative pathological testing resulted in a diagnosis of a primary retroperitoneal Müllerian cyst.

Müllerian cysts are covered with epithelium derived from the Müllerian ducts. They are more common in the male pelvic cavity, where they are discovered in less than 1% of autopsy cases, but they are extremely rare in women.

Although the vast majority are benign, since there have been a few rare reports of malignant transformation, en bloc resection should be considered.