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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
You may have pancreatic cysts, including pseudocysts, but experience no symptoms. Pancreatic cysts are often discovered when imaging tests of the abdomen are done for another reason. When signs or symptoms do occur, they typically include:
- Persistent abdominal pain, which may radiate to your back
- A mass you can feel in your upper abdomen, where your pancreas is located
- Nausea and vomiting
When to see a doctor
Cysts can become infected, so see a doctor if you are feverish and have persistent abdominal pain.
A ruptured pseudocyst is a medical emergency. When a cyst ruptures, the released fluid can damage nearby blood vessels and cause massive bleeding. It may also cause infection of the abdominal cavity (peritonitis). Seek emergency medical treatment if you have signs or symptoms of internal bleeding and shock, including:
- Fainting
- Severe abdominal pain
- Decreased consciousness
- Weak and rapid heartbeat
- Vomiting blood
- Scheiman JM. Management of cystic lesions of the pancreas. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2008;12:405.
- Pitman MB, et al. Pancreatic cysts: Preoperative diagnosis and clinical management. Cancer Cytopathology. 2010;118:1.
- Steer ML. Cystic lesions of the pancreas. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed May 14, 2010.
- Pancreatic cysts. National Pancreas Foundation. http://pancreasfoundation.org/2010/04/pancreatic-cysts/. Accessed May 16, 2010.
- Garcea G, et al. Cystic lesions of the pancreas: A diagnostic and management dilemma. Pancreatology. 2008;8:236.
- Habashi S, et al. Pancreatic pseudocyst. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2009;15:38.
- Khalid A, et al. ACG practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of neoplastic pancreatic cysts. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2007;102:2339.
- Jacobson BC, et al. ASGE guideline: The role of endoscopy in the diagnosis and the management of cystic lesions and inflammatory fluid collections of the pancreas. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 2005;61:363.
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