Simple hepatic cysts are relatively common but are small. Symptomatic cysts are usually > 3 cm in diameter, with a mean diameter of 9 cm.
A simple hepatic cyst is seen in women 3 times more often than in men.
A cyst may be present in the left, right or both hepatic lobes.
Clinical findings (if symptomatic):
(1) abdominal pain
(2) nausea and vomiting
(3) early satiety
(4) fatigue
(5) dyspnea
(6) abdominal mass
(7) fever (especially if infected)
(8) complications of spontaneous rupture (sterile ascites, peritonitis, hemorrhage)
Surgical management may include:
(1) simple deroofing during laparascopy
(2) cystojejunostomy
Complications after surgery to treat the cyst:
(1) intra-abdominal bile leak (if there is an attempt to resect the entire cyst rather than just unroof it)
(2) reformation
Differential diagnosis:
(1) biliary cyst
(2) parasitic cyst
(3) polycystic liver disease
(4) cystic neoplasm
