Minimally Invasive Management of a Giant Simple Hepatic Cyst: A Case Report and Narrative Review of the Literature

Simple hepatic cysts are benign lesions that usually do not require treatment unless they grow large enough to cause symptoms.Giant simple hepatic cysts may become clinically significant due to their size and the resulting compression of adjacent structures.A case study of a 56-year-old woman with abdominal pain and shortness of breath accompanied by anorexia, nausea, and vomiting revealed a 17 × 12 cm cyst in the right hepatic lobe, consistent with a giant simple hepatic cyst, necessitating laparoscopic deroofing for symptomatic relief.The procedure included laparoscopic cyst deroofing and fluid aspiration through a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach.Histopathology confirmed it as a benign simple hepatic cyst with a fibrotic hyalinized stroma lined by a single layer of cuboidal epithelium and no evidence of malignancy.Postoperative recovery was uncomplicated, and the patient was discharged on the fifth postoperative day with no recurrence noted at the 30-day follow-up.However, this short-term assessment does not establish long-term freedom from recurrence.This case underscores that giant hepatic cysts can cause significant symptoms despite being benign, and laparoscopic deroofing is an effective treatment method.Laparoscopic deroofing may provide effective relief in appropriately selected patients with a giant simple hepatic cyst while avoiding more extensive hepatic surgery.Ongoing research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind cyst development and enhance management strategies for symptomatic cases.