What is a liver cyst and what should be paid attention to?

Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on January 07, 2025
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Liver cysts are a type of benign tumor, and most liver cysts are caused by congenital factors. Therefore, when liver cysts occur, they are usually small in size and generally do not show obvious symptoms. Patients do not feel any discomfort, and most are found during ultrasound examinations. At this point, no special treatment is required, just regular follow-up ultrasounds to dynamically observe any changes in size. For patients with larger liver cysts, there might be a sensation of pain in the liver area, and it could even affect liver function, leading to abnormal liver functions. Therefore, it is advisable to undergo surgery as early as possible. Only through surgical removal can a cure be achieved, which can significantly improve the quality of life of the patient.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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How many days of hospitalization are required for minimally invasive liver cyst surgery?

For minimally invasive surgery of liver cysts, the duration of hospitalization primarily depends on the severity of the condition and the patient's postoperative recovery. In cases where the liver cyst is large, causing pain in the liver area and even affecting liver function tests, surgical removal is necessary to achieve therapeutic effects. Laparoscopic liver cyst excision is generally chosen because it offers advantages such as smaller incisions, less trauma, and quicker recovery. It is often the first choice clinically, and patients can usually be discharged about a week later. However, if the patient has more underlying diseases, the recovery time may be relatively prolonged.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Can liver cysts heal on their own?

Generally speaking, liver cysts cannot heal themselves, as regardless of their size, liver cysts are mostly caused by congenital factors. Therefore, although they do not require special treatment, the body cannot cure them either. When liver cysts are present, first of all, the decision should be based on the cause and size of the cysts. For patients with small liver cysts, there are generally no obvious symptoms and no special treatment is needed. Regular follow-up with ultrasound should be done to monitor any changes in size. For patients with larger liver cysts, local compression symptoms may occur, and if liver function abnormalities appear, surgical removal is necessary to achieve treatment benefits and prevent worsening of the condition.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Liver cysts worsening can lead to what disease?

If a liver cyst deteriorates, it may lead to two types of complications. On one hand, for patients with liver cysts, if the cyst significantly increases in size and becomes large, it can cause pain in the liver area and may also lead to abnormal liver function. Therefore, surgical removal should be considered at this time. On the other hand, liver cysts can potentially undergo malignant transformation and lead to liver cancer. Liver cancer is a highly malignant tumor, so early surgical removal is essential to improve the prognosis of the patient. If it reaches the late stage of liver cancer, the condition is severe and treatment can only be symptomatic, not curative.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Can liver cysts cause fever?

Patients with liver cysts generally do not experience fever. Liver cysts are a common type of benign tumor, and most do not exhibit any symptoms and are discovered during ultrasound examinations. In such cases, no special treatment is required; regular follow-up ultrasounds to monitor any changes in size are sufficient. However, larger liver cysts may cause pain in the liver area, compression, or even liver function abnormalities. If a liver abscess is also present, as it is a type of purulent infection, the patient may experience fever. Generally, simple liver cysts do not cause fever. If fever occurs, it should be taken seriously, and further examinations should be completed to identify the cause, and treatment should be directed at this cause to achieve a better prognosis.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Which area is better to massage for a liver cyst?

For liver cysts, treatment through massage does not have any effect. The treatment for liver cysts mainly depends on whether there are symptoms and the size of the cysts. For smaller liver cysts, patients generally do not exhibit noticeable symptoms, and surgical treatment is not necessary at this stage. In daily life, a diet mainly consisting of light foods, and consuming fresh vegetables and fruits, can better control the condition. However, for larger liver cysts, patients may experience pain in the liver area. Treatment for these should involve surgical removal as soon as possible to achieve a cure and can significantly improve the patient's prognosis.