Long-Term Surveillance and Laparoscopic Management of Zinner Syndrome

Abstract

Zinner syndrome was first described in 1914 and represents the triad of unilateral renal agenesis and ipsilateral seminal vesicle cyst and ipsilateral ejaculatory duct obstruction. Seminal vesicle cysts are often asymptomatic but can also present with pain, haematospermia, or other lower urinary tract symptoms. Treatment strategies include observation and surgical excision. We present the laparoscopic management of an enlarged seminal vesicle cyst, consistent with Zinner syndrome, 14 years after the initial diagnosis. A 58-year-old male patient was diagnosed with a left-sided seminal vesicle cyst while undergoing assessment for renal transplant due to progressively worsening renal function in his solitary right kidney. The otherwise asymptomatic cyst enlarged from the time of initial diagnosis in 2004 (11.3 cm×9.7 cm×13.1 cm) to nearly double the size in 2018 (12.8 cm×11.9 cm×14.2 cm). This cyst size ultimately precluded renal transplant, and the patient was referred for excision. Laparoscopic excision of the cyst was performed, histopathology confirmed seminal vesicle cyst tissue, and there has been no recurrence of the cyst to date. The patient remains active on the renal transplant waitlist. Zinner syndrome is a rare syndrome, with the seminal vesicle cysts being managed by observation or surgical excision. We report the longest documented observation of a seminal vesicle cyst, culminating in a safe and successful laparoscopic excision.