Do liver cysts need treatment?

  Liver cysts, commonly referred to as “blisters” in the liver, are benign diseases that grow slowly and most do not require treatment.  The vast majority of liver cysts are congenital and there are few acquired factors.  Most of them are asymptomatic and are only found incidentally during ultrasound or CT examinations. A few larger liver cysts with cyst enlargement to a certain extent can produce symptoms of compression, which can manifest as gastrointestinal symptoms such as pain or discomfort in the right upper abdomen, individual jaundice, abdominal masses, etc.  For single liver cysts smaller than 5 cm without any clinical symptoms, they can be observed and it is recommended to review ultrasound annually to understand their growth.  For liver cysts larger than 5 cm located on the surface of the liver, if the patient does not have any discomfort and does not affect liver function, they can also be seen without surgical treatment and continue to be closely observed. If the cyst grows faster or has an impact on the patient’s life and work, surgical treatment is required. The principle of the treatment is simple: the water inside the “blister” is sucked out or it is not produced anymore. Commonly used methods include ultrasound-guided cyst aspiration and endothelial disruption. Cyst “windowing” or “debulking”. Some cysts require partial removal of the liver.  Liver cysts are relatively common benign liver diseases and most of them do not require treatment, but they must be reviewed periodically to see if there are any changes in the “liver cysts” and there is no prevention method and they cannot be treated or prevented by medication.