What Are the Risks of Liver Cysts? How Are They Treated?

The liver is a vital organ in the human body, and any abnormalities in this area can have a significant impact on our health. Liver cyst is a common benign disease of the liver, and generally has a good prognosis. However, in severe cases, the prognosis can be poorer. Patients are often concerned about the harm caused by this disease. So, what are the harms of liver cyst, and how is it treated? Let's take a look.

I. Harms of Liver Cyst

1. Cyst compression can cause patients to be afraid of normal eating or overeating, and when it squeezes the heart, it can lead to heart failure. Some patients may require daily oxygen inhalation due to liver left lobe cysts pressing on the heart, and may be bedridden for two years due to heart failure. After treatment, the patient can walk without the need for oxygen inhalation.

2. Liver cyst can cause pain in the liver area, abdominal distension, and sometimes a sudden increase in cyst size or secondary infection can lead to sudden severe abdominal pain or fever.

3. Sometimes, patients may feel a mass in the upper abdomen, and some may experience abdominal pain, vomiting, and jaundice.

4. When the cyst is too large, it can cause symptoms such as indigestion, nausea, vomiting, discomfort, or pain in the right upper abdomen. Treatments such as surgical fenestration and cyst wall resection, or ultrasound-guided aspiration and injection of absolute alcohol to sclerose the cyst wall, can be used, and the results are generally satisfactory.

5. A few liver cysts may present with conditions such as cyst rupture, intracystic bleeding, infection, or rapid growth with a tendency for malignancy.

II. Treatment of Liver Cyst

1. Small asymptomatic cysts generally require no treatment and regular follow-up is sufficient.

2. Large cysts with significant compression symptoms are mainly treated with cyst fenestration.

3. For patients with concurrent infection, intracystic bleeding, or cyst fluid containing bile, fenestration with postoperative catheterization and drainage can be performed.

4. If the disease is limited to one lobe of the liver, consideration can be given to liver lobe resection.

5. Extensive polycystic liver disease may require liver transplantation.

6. Surgical treatment is not suitable for elderly or frail patients or those with dysfunction of important organs.

II. Nursing for Liver Cyst

1. Psychological nursing: Introduce relevant knowledge about the disease to patients and encourage them to actively cooperate with treatment.

2. Pre- and postoperative nursing for patients undergoing surgical treatment.