Liver cyst removal

Your consultant will explain the procedure to you during your pre-op appointment, and also answer any questions you may have.

Laparoscopic de-roofing is usually performed under general anaesthetic. It is a surgical procedure done through 2‒3 small cuts in the abdomen, and uses a flexible fibre optic tube with a tiny camera and a light on the end (laparoscope) to see inside the body (‘keyhole' surgery).

Once the cyst is located, it's usually aspirated (drained of fluid) and part of the cyst wall is removed to prevent the cyst from refilling and recurring.

You will be required to stay in hospital for one to two days.

You'll have a pre-op assessment about 14 days before surgery to assess your general fitness.

As you'll be receiving a general anaesthetic, you may need to limit your food and drink intake in the six hours leading up to surgery. You're usually given anti-thrombosis socks to wear to stop you from developing blood clots in the veins of your legs during and after the procedure.

Be sure to inform your consultant in advance of any relevant medical information, such as:

• an artificial heart valve
• a coronary artery stent
• a pacemaker or defibrillator
• an artificial joint
• an artificial blood vessel graft
• a prescription for warfarin, aspirin or clopidogrel
  
  

After your liver cyst excision, you'll be transferred to our recovery unit, where our dedicated team of HPB consultants and nurses will care for you. Recovery times for liver cyst excisions can vary, so your HPB consultant will explain when you can expect to leave the hospital and get back to your routine.

Most people make a full recovery within two weeks, and the risk of the cyst recurring has been shown to be very low.