A case of retroperitoneal bronchogenic cyst

A 59-year-old hypertensive man was referred to our hospital with a retroperitoneal cystic tumor, measuring 6 cm in diameter that was detected by an ultrasound examination during routine check-up 2 years before coming to our department. During the 2-year follow-up, the cystic tumor gradually increased in size. The patient also became hypertensive with slightly elevated urine levels of noradrenaline and dopamine, while the plasma catecholamines and their metabolites in the urine were within the normal range. Computed tomographic scanning and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a dumbbell-shaped retroperitoneal cyst with dense fluid, measuring 7 x 3.5 x 3 cm in diameter, in the left supra-adrenal and sub-diaphragmatic regions. He underwent extirpation of the cystic tumor with suspicion of adrenal endocrine cystic tumor. The histopathological diagnosis was a bronchogenic cyst, which is an extremely rare developmental anomaly in the retroperitoneal space. We herein report this rare case of retroperitoneal bronchogenic cyst and present a brief review of the previously reported 30 Japanese cases.