What is a von Meyenburg complex?

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Multiple bile duct hamartoma [von Meyenburg complex (VMC)] is a benign liver malformation that includes biliary cystic lesions with congenital hepatic fibrosis causing ductal plate malformations (1–7). It is generally asymptomatic and tends to be identified either at autopsy or during histological examinations (1).

What causes biliary hamartoma?

Biliary hamartomas are congenital bile duct malformations that contain cystic dilated bile ducts surrounded by fibrous stroma and occur due to failure of embryonic involution.

What is a hepatic hamartoma?

Hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma (HMH) and undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL) are rare mesenchymal tumors arising predominantly in the pediatric population. HMH is the second most common benign hepatic tumor in children, most commonly diagnosed in patients younger than 2 years of age.

What is fibrocystic liver disease?

Fibrocystic liver diseases (FLDs) designate a group of rare disorders affecting the biliary tree, characterized by an aberrant morphogenesis of the bile ducts, resulting in segmental dilations, eventually associated to cysts in other organs.

What are the symptoms of cysts on the liver?

Symptoms of liver cysts can include:

distended or protruding stomach.
feelings of abdominal fullness or bloating.
abdominal pain, particularly in the upper right quadrant.
heartburn.
nausea and vomiting.
shoulder pain.

What does biliary hamartoma mean?

Biliary hamartomas also called as von Meyenburg complexes (VMCs) are benign liver malformations that histologically contain cystic dilated bile ducts within 10 mm in diameter surrounded by abundant fibrous stroma[1,2]. They are usually uncovered by autopsy as an incidental finding.

What is the treatment for polycystic liver?

The only definitive treatment of PLD, used in only the most severe cases, is liver transplant [2, 8, 33]. Medication to slow down cyst growth and fluid secretion in the liver (somatostatin analogs, namely octreotide and lanreotide) is also useful in reducing liver volume [7, 10].

Do hamartomas need to be removed?

A Word From Verywell. Hamartomas are benign (noncancerous) tumors that will not spread to other parts of your body. Sometimes they are left alone, but if they are causing symptoms due to their location, or if the diagnosis is uncertain, surgery to remove the tumor may be recommended.