Tresphory Boniphace, Calisti Alessandro
Department of Surgery, Consolata Hospital Ikonda, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Ann Afr Med. 2024 Oct 1;23(4):740-742. doi: 10.4103/aam.aam_9_24. Epub 2024 Aug 19.
A choledochal cyst is a rare condition with a variable incidence and different modalities of presentation according to the context and the age of patients. Early diagnosis and complete resection are the only therapeutic options to prevent complications and malignancies. Type Ia, cystic dilatation of the entire extrahepatic duct, is the most observed, and a giant size (more than 10 cm in diameter) may rarely be reached. This patient group often has a long-lasting clinical history and a shared experience of uneasy access to specialist care. Huge dimensions are a complex challenge for complete resection, and the risk of permanent liver functional damage must be considered, as in the current case.