title: [Tailgut cysts].
abstract: Retrorectal cystic hamartomas (tailgut cysts) are rare congenital lesions thought to arise from remnants of the embryonic postanal gut. They predominantly occur as asymptomatic retrorectal multicystic masses in women. The treatment of choice is by complete surgical excision. The most important complications of these cysts are infection with a secondary fistula and malignant degeneration. The differential diagnosis includes a wide variety of conditions that occur in the retrorectal space. In this article, 3 cases showing different surgical technical aspects of treatment are presented. In addition, the aetiopathogenic features and histopathological appearance, clinical presentation and complications, imaging features and differential diagnosis of tailgut cysts are described.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General. Fundación Hospital Alcorcón. Alcorcón. Madrid. España. dvega@fhalcorcon.es
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vega Menéndez
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quintáns Rodríguez
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hernández Granados
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nevado Santos
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: García Sabrido
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rueda Orgaz
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ochando
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ojeda Pérez
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loinaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography