Laparoscopic Treatment of Nonparasitic Liver Cysts: Adequate Selection of Patients and Surgical Technique

Results of laparoscopic fenestration in patients with a highly symptomatic solitary liver cyst (17 patients) or polycystic liver disease (PLD) (9 patients) were prospectively evaluated in a multicenter practice of general surgeons. Conversion to laparotomy was required in two patients because of inaccessible deep liver cyst in one and a diffuse form of PLD in the other. There was no mortality or major morbidity. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.6 days after successful laparoscopic procedures. During a mean follow-up of 9 months, 23% of the patients had recurrence of symptoms and 38% had radiographic reappearance of cysts. Factors predicting failure included previous surgical treatment, deepsited cysts, incomplete deroofing technique, location in the right posterior segments of the liver, and a diffuse form of PLD with small cysts. Adequate selection of patients and type of cystic liver disease and meticulous and aggressive surgical technique are recommended.