Laparoscopic unroofing of hepatic cysts with intraperitoneal drainage: a report of three cases

Hepatic cysts are not uncommon and are usually asymptomatic, while large cysts sometimes show clinical manifestations. The management of large symptomatic hepatic cysts includes both percutaneous aspiration and surgical intervention. Aspiration has a high recurrence rate and is not a curative treatment. Recently, laparoscopic unroofing or "fenestration" in selected patients with hepatic cysts has gained popularity, for it shortens hospital stay, involves minimal invasiveness and does not result in a high recurrence rate. We report three cases of symptomatic hepatic cysts successfully treated with laparoscopic surgery.