Laparoscopic deroofing of simple liver cysts: the merits of a new approach

ABSTRACT

In this study, wide laparoscopic deroofing was performed for ten patients with symptomatic simple liver cysts. Females were affected in 60% of cases, the mean age of the studied patients was 47 years. Upper abdominal pain was the commonest presenting symptom [80%], while right hypochondrial or epigastric mass was present in 60% of cases. Investigations to confirm the diagnosis and to exclude hydatid cyst disease of liver and malignancy were performed. The cysts were solitary in nine patients and mainly presented in the right lobe of liver and their mean diameter was 7 cm. The laparoscopic procedure was successfully completed in nine patients and the mean duration of the operation was 71 minutes. Postoperative pain was mild to moderate in all cases and was relieved by one or two doses of opiates during hospital stay, however, only one patient needed oral analgesics for two days after hospital discharge. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.4 days and follow up for one year revealed no recurrence. Laparoscopic fenestration of symptomatic primary liver cysts is simple, effective and minimally invasive procedure and should be considered as the main surgical treatment for these cases