A rare massive cyst was successfully removed from a 50-year-old resident of Malad after it had occupied nearly 70% of the liver and compressed vital organs.

Ashok Surti found himself grappling with discomfort and uncertainty as the pain and yellowing of his skin intensified. What started as a seemingly mild issue quickly became a cause for concern, leading him to seek medical attention. The symptoms were the result of a rare and life-threatening condition that was a massive cyst in his liver. He was admitted to Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road with alarming symptoms of jaundice and discoloration of his skin.

A team led by Dr Imran Shaikh, consultant GI and HPB surgeon at the hospital successfully treated Surti with a massive liver cyst measuring over 18 cm and containing 2.2 liters of fluid. The cyst occupied nearly 70% of the liver and was compressing vital organs, causing jaundice, necessitating an urgent and complex surgical intervention.

The patient had no prior medical history of liver issues and was living a normal life until the cyst began to cause discomfort and jaundice when an investigation including ultrasound, MRI, and CT scans, confirmed the rare condition, with the cyst threatening to rupture, which could have led to complications such as severe bleeding and sudden death. 

Dr Shaikh, said, “This was a highly challenging case due to the size of the cyst and its impact on surrounding organs. The benign cyst had grown to replace almost 70% of the liver and was causing compression on the bile duct, leading to jaundice. While hepatic cysts are relatively common, in cases like this, where the cyst grows to such an enormous size and causes symptoms are extremely rare, accounting for less than 1% of cases.”

The patient was scheduled for Laparoscopic Partial resection of the cyst with drainage of content and decomposition of the bile duct. “The surgical procedure was complex due to the risk of intraoperative bleeding and postoperative bile leaks. However, the cyst was removed without complications. After two hours of surgery, the patient responded well to treatment and was discharged in five days,” added Dr. Shaikh.