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Cysts
Definition:
A cyst is a closed pocket or pouch of tissue. It can be filled with air, fluid, pus, or other material. Considerations:
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Cysts may form within any tissue in the body. Cysts within the lung generally are air-filled, while cysts involving the lymph system or kidneys are fluid-filled. Migrating parasites -- such as trichinosis, dog tapeworm (Toxocara canis), and echinococcus -- form cysts within muscle, liver, brain tissue, the lungs, and the eye. Cysts are common on the skin and develop as a result of infection, clogging of sebaceous glands, or around foreign bodies. They can also result from developmental abnormalities such as a pilonidal cyst (pilonidal dimple).
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