The liver and right atrium-hepatic cyst as a cause of arrhythmia

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Cardiology
• Radiology

Background:

• Simple hepatic cysts are common incidental findings on radiological imaging.
• While typically asymptomatic, hepatic cysts can cause symptoms via local compression.
• Known complications include portal hypertension and gastric/duodenal obstruction.

Observation:

• This case report describes a rare instance of a simple hepatic cyst causing compression.
• The cyst exerted slight compression on the right atrium.
• This compression was directly linked to the occurrence of atrial premature beats.

Findings:

• Simple hepatic cysts can lead to cardiac complications, specifically atrial premature beats.
• Atrial compression by hepatic cysts is a previously undocumented phenomenon.
• The mechanism involves mechanical pressure from the cyst on cardiac structures.

Implications:

• This finding expands the known spectrum of complications associated with simple hepatic cysts.
• It suggests a potential etiology for unexplained atrial premature beats in some patients.
• Further investigation into hepatic cyst-induced cardiac effects is warranted.