What Are the Treatments for Liver Cysts?

Cysts can occur in many places throughout the body. Ovarian and kidney cysts, for instance, are common. Another type of cyst is the liver cyst. Most liver cysts are benign and don't need treatment, but some liver cysts are more serious and do require attention by a medical professional. In such cases, the individual with a liver cyst has several treatment options available to them. These include surgery, treatment of an underlying condition, antibiotics, drainage and sclerotherapy infusion.

Surgery

Surgery is the most common treatment for liver cysts that do not respond to other forms of treatment and which are particularly large. Depending on the location and size of the cyst, surgery may be open (a large incision needs to be made where the doctor can visually see the liver cyst), or laproscopic (a small incision is made and the doctor can remove the liver cyst with an instrument). Laproscopic surgery usually is less painful and is considered to be safer because of the smaller incision size.

Underlying Condition Treatment

Some liver cysts are caused by other conditions. If this is the case, then the liver cyst may be treated by addressing the underlying cause of the cyst. Some underlying conditions that can cause liver cysts include Caroli's disease and congenital hepatic fibrosis. This can include the administration of a wide variety of drugs. It also can include a change in diet, since the liver's function is to filter waste from what is ingested and to remove it from the body.

Antibiotics

In the cases where a liver cyst is related to a bacterial infection, the cyst is treated through the administration of antibiotics. The antibiotics are specific to the type of infection and usually need to be taken anywhere a few days to a few weeks, depending on the severity and type of bacterial infection.

Drainage

Most liver cysts are simply fluid-filled growths on the organ. This means that the fluid within them can be drained. This often is helpful in that it relieves pressure from the excess fluid. However, drainage does not necessarily treat the underlying cause of the cyst, which means that it doesn't guarantee that a cyst will not come back.

Sclerotherapy Infusion

If none of the aforementioned treatments work, another option is to inject a solution of sterile alcohol into the cyst. The solution injected into the cyst disinfects and causes it to shrink. This procedure is called sclerotherapy infusion.