Congenital hepatic cyst with antenatal diagnosis: a case report and literature review

Congenital hepatic cyst: Eleven case reports

BACKGROUND

Liver cysts in infants are uncommon. With modern diagnostic imaging, we can achieve an early diagnosis of congenital hepatic cysts. Our purpose was to investigate the clinical features, surgical treatment methods and prognosis of infants with congenital hepatic cysts. Herein, we report a case series of congenital hepatic cysts.

CASE SUMMARY

Eleven infants with hepatic cysts were retrospectively analysed. Ten of them had simple hepatic cysts, and a girl with a large hepatic mass was diagnosed with a solitary intrahepatic biliary cyst accompanied by a choledochal cyst. Among the ten simple hepatic cysts, eight were solitary and two were multiple. A total of 87.5% (7 of 8) of infants with solitary hepatic cysts were detected before delivery, and 86% (6 of 7) of those cysts were located in the right lobe of the liver. Surgical intervention was required for symptomatic hepatic cysts. Cyst resection or unroofing with fulguration of the cyst bed was employed. No recurrence of cysts was observed in these infants.

CONCLUSION

Congenital hepatic cyst is a condition with a narrow differential diagnosis. Accurate diagnosis is essential for appropriate management. Unroofing is the favoured treatment in infants with symptomatic cysts. Most infants with congenital hepatic cysts have a good prognosis.

Approach to the postnatal sonographic evaluation of prenatally detected abdominopelvic cysts

Prenatally detected abdominal and pelvic masses are commonly cystic in morphology and usually seen on mid-trimester sonography. Sonography is the favored imaging modality for the postnatal evaluation of these lesions in newborns, given its availability, low cost, lack of ionizing radiation, lack of sedation, and high spatial resolution in small patients. The differential diagnosis of abdominopelvic cystic masses in newborns is broad given that they can arise from many organs and may have overlapping features on imaging. This article illustrates an approach to the postnatal sonographic evaluation of prenatally detected cystic abdominal and pelvic masses based on their anatomic location and distinctive sonographic characteristics, which can aid in an accurate diagnosis and guide appropriate management.

Fetal abdominal tumors and cysts

This article reviews the contemporary diagnosis and management of the most common abdominal neoplasms and cystic lesions diagnosed in the fetus. Fetal tumors discussed include teratomas (sacrococcygeal, cervical or mediastinal), mesoblastic nephroma, nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumor), neuroblastoma, and hepatoblastoma. Fetal abdominal cystic lesions discussed include ovarian cyst, choledochal cyst, intestinal duplication cyst, mesenteric cyst, simple hepatic cyst, and meconium pseudocyst. We discuss the rare indications for fetal intervention or fetal surgery and other perinatal management, including prenatal interventions and fetal surgery for sacrococcygeal teratoma. The lesions reviewed are detected by widespread use of screening ultrasonography during pregnancy. Work-up for these abnormalities may include fetal MRI which enhances the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal tumors and cystic lesions and can aid in characterization of the lesion in relationship to surrounding anatomic structures. Accurate prenatal diagnosis of such lesions permits recommendations for optimal location and timing of delivery, and inclusion of appropriate caregivers and expertise to facilitate postnatal management. Perinatal management of the fetus with a neoplasm requires consideration of the optimal timing and mode of delivery, and pediatric oncology and surgical specialty care. The majority of tumors diagnosed antenatally have good prognosis with current multimodality treatment.

Laparoscopic Treatment of Congenital Nonparasitic Liver Cysts in Newborns

Background: Congenital nonparasitic liver cysts in newborns are rare. Surgical excision of these formations is necessary to prevent complications. Reports of laparoscopic treatment of simple liver cysts in children are sporadic. We present a series of 3 patients with liver cysts treated laparoscopically in a single center. We added a short review of the literature. Methods: Data of 3 patients with nonparasitic liver cysts were collected at our center, from 2014 to 2019. Early and long-term results of laparoscopic operations were studied. Results: All patients were newborns, and of these, 2 were girls and 1 boy. The primary diagnosis was established during prenatal ultrasound examination. The laparoscopic approach was used in all patients. Complete resection of the cysts was achieved laparoscopically in all cases. Pathology reports were consistent with nonparasitic liver cysts. The early postoperative period was uneventful with prompt discharge. In the long-term follow-up period, there were no recurrences of the disease. Conclusions: The study presents one of the largest series of laparoscopic excision of nonparasitic liver cysts in newborns. We conclude that laparoscopy is a safe and effective method of treating of congenital hepatic cysts.

Giant congenital solitary nonparasitic cyst of the liver causing respiratory distress in a neonate

A 3-day-old male neonate delivered at 34 weeks of gestational age was brought with breathing difficulty since birth. The abdomen was massively distended. A soft cystic mass was occupying almost the entire abdomen and causing obvious respiratory distress. On exploration, a huge, solitary, unilocular cyst was found between the two lobes of the liver. Growing extrahepatically between the two lobes, it had displaced them laterally on either side. Enucleation of the cyst and marsupialization of its base was done. Histopathology showed evidence of congenital solitary nonparasitic cyst of the liver. Symptomatic presentation of CSNCL in children, especially in a neonate is extremely rare and not considered as a differential diagnosis of an abdominal mass. Hence, the case report.