Giant (>10 cm in diameter) primary non-parasitic splenic cysts are rare, with an estimated incidence of 0.07%, usually benign, asymptomatic and incidentally detected; the treatment includes splenectomy, cystectomy, marsupialization, or decapsulation.1-12 Splenic cysts are classified according to presence or absence of a lining epithelium as true or primary and secondary; the primary are categorized in parasitic and non-parasitic.2,5-12 Complications of these cysts include bleeding, rupture after trauma, and infection.1-12 Andral (1829) described the first splenic cyst detected by necropsy, the first splenectomy to treat this entity was performed by Péan in 1867; while Powers (1906) reported the first case series including 32 patients presenting with non-parasitic splenic cysts.2,5,9-11,15,16 Approximately one decade ago, Furtado et al. published in this Journal the case study of a 20-year-old woman with a giant (13 cm x 9 cm) splenic cyst successfully managed by splenectomy, and the patient hospital discharge occurred on the fourth postoperative day.2 The abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed images consistent with splenic cyst; and the histopathology showed inner lining of cuboidal epithelium and a fibrous capsule.2 The uniloculated cystic formation presented thin walls measuring 13 x 9 cm, with a trabeculated internal surface and a voluminous brownish serum-hemorrhagic content.2 They commented on the cysts of pancreas, liver, kidney, ovary, omentum, and mesentery; besides the splenic cavernous or capillary hemangiomas, and metastases from malignant neoplasms of ovary, lung, breast, stomach, colon, or skin, in the differential diagnosis.2 Considering de relatively scarce number of case reports since that time, the aim of a brief review, from 2020 to 2022, is to enhance the awareness of the health care workers.
