[Non-parasitic liver cysts: laparoscopic and conventional fenestration]

From 1992 till 1997 10 patients with solitary non-parasitic liver cysts were treated by laparoscopically fenestration of the cysts. The size of the cysts varied between 8 and 16 cm (median 13.5). Conversion to laparotomy was required in one patient because of intraoperative bleeding. In nine patients the laparoscopic procedure was finished successfully. In these cases we observed no intraoperative complications (9/10), intraoperative blood loss amounted up to 100 ml. Median operative time amounted to 82.5 minutes (55-155). No postoperative complications were observed. In two patients a cystadenoma was proven by postoperative histology, in both cases a liver resection was performed. During a median follow-up of 33 (2-43) months 2 of 7 patients treated with laparoscopically fenestration developed a recurrence (28%).