title: Pandora's box and retrorectal tumors in laparoscopy: A case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retrorectal tumors are uncommon and the etiology diverse. Literature to define the preoperative diagnosis and plan the intraoperative management are uncommon.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe a case of a 44 year old patient with a laparoscopic approach for the removal of a retrorectal tumor and emphasize on the preoperative diagnostics and the intraoperative, minimal invasive approach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Especially because these tumors are rare and often an incidental finding in gynecologic surgery, it is important to know the various differential diagnoses and its consequences with the laparoscopic approach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest the laparoscopic approach in cases of retroperitoneal cysts of unknown origin is ideal also because anatomic structures, mostly nerves, can be easily spared.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. Electronic address: sara.imboden@insel.ch.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imboden
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Fana
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mueller
keywords: Laparoscopy; Retrorectal cyst; Tarlov cyst