Jaundice associated with polycystic liver disease. Relief by surgical decompression of the cysts.

Jaundice is an unusual feature of polycystic liver disease. In a 46-year-old woman with polycystic liver disease and jaundice, the bilirubin level was 42.0 mg/100 ml. Because of the rapid rise in bilirubin level, relief of supposed obstruction of intrahepatic bile ducts was attempted by unroofing the hepatic cysts. Following operation the bilirubin level returned to normal, and the patient has remained well since.