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Background: Laparoscopic fenestration is considered the best treatment for symptomatic simple liver cysts. Conversely, the laparoscopic approach for the management of hydatid simple liver cysts is not widely accepted because of the risk for severe complications. Despite improvement in imaging techniques, the probability of preoperatively mistaking a hydatid liver cyst for a simple liver cyst remains about 5%. Therefore, laparoscopic fenestration, planned for a liver cyst could be performed unintentionally for an undiagnosed hydatid liver cyst.Methods: From January 2000 to January 2001, 15 patients with a diagnosis of liver cyst underwent laparoscopy for fenestration. In all cases preoperative serologic and imaging assessment had excluded hydatid liver cyst. To further exclude hydatid liver cyst, preliminary aspiration of the cyst with assessment of cystic fluid characteristics was performed.Results: In two patients with presumedly simple liver cyst, hydatid liver cyst was diagnosed instead at laparoscopy by aspiration of cystic fluid. The procedure was converted to laparotomy with subtotal pericystectomy.Conclusions: The risk of misdiagnosing a hydatid liver cyst for a simple liver cyst, especially in the presence of a solitary cyst, should be considered before laparoscopic fenestration is performed. Intraoperative aspiration of cyst fluid before fenestration can minimize this risk, thus avoiding severe intraoperative and late complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]