title: Laparoscopic treatment using an argon beam coagulator for nonparasitic liver cysts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic deroofing has been shown to produce good patient satisfaction and to have results similar to those of open surgical techniques. We evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic deroofing using an argon beam coagulator (ABC) in the patients with nonparasitic liver cysts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laparoscopic deroofing for the treatment of liver cysts was attempted on 14 patients. After the deroofing, the secreting epithelium within the residual cystic cavity wall was destroyed using the ABC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laparoscopic deroofing was successful in all patients. No deaths or surgical morbidity occurred, and no postoperative complications were recorded. The median postoperative hospital stay was 7 days. The median follow-up was 56 months for all patients, and all patients have remained completely asymptomatic for 6 months after the surgery, with no recurrence of the cysts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that laparoscopic deroofing using the ABC method in patients with nonparasitic liver cysts was effective in preventing cyst recurrence.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono, Moriguchi, Osaka, 570-8507, Japan. kon@takii.kmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: A-Hon
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inui
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamiyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003560:Cysts / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications