Laparoscopic splenic total cystectomy in a patient with elevated CA 19-9.

True nonparasitic splenic cysts are rare. Reports of approximately 30 cases of benign true splenic cysts producing elevated CA 19-9 serum levels have been published. The traditional treatment of splenic epidermoid cysts is splenectomy. However, with all the advances in laparoscopic surgery, conservative laparoscopic approaches are accepted as the most preferred techniques for this benign disease. Laparoscopic cystectomy with its minimal invasiveness and low morbidity is the ideal technique for properly selected patients. So far, only one case report of laparoscopic cystectomy for splenic epidermoid cyst with elevated CA 19-9 levels has been published. This is the second known report of this procedure being performed to remove a splenic epidermoid cyst in a patient with elevated CA 19-9 levels.