Hepatic Hemangioma Treatment Using Microwave Coagulation Therapy—a Systematic Review

Abstract

Hepatic hemangiomas (HH) are the most common benign liver tumors, with a prevalence ranging from 5 to 7.35% of all benign tumors of the liver. Most lesions occur to the fifth and sixth decades of life more frequently in females (female/male ratio = 5:1). Hepatic hemangiomas are composed of blood-filled cavities lined by a single layer of endothelial cells, fed by the hepatic artery. Hepatic hemangiomas are composed of blood-filled cavities lined by a single layer of endothelial cells, fed by the hepatic artery. The exact etiology of hepatic hemangiomas still is unclear though the genetic predisposition and estrogen in stimulating and/or contraceptive use have been proposed. A majority of hepatic hemangiomas are often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. It is a slow-growing, so medical/surgical intervention is often not needed. However, the so-called giant cavernous hemangiomas (GCH) (greater than 5 cm in diameter) will usually develop symptoms and complications, which pose a higher risk of rupture that a radical intervention needs to be considered. Nowadays, hepatic hemangiomas therapy included surgical resection, intervention embolization, radio frequency ablation, microwave ablation, and drug therapy. There have been existing heated debates on the treatment strategies of hepatic hemangiomas for a long time because of the researchers lacked the evidence-based medical evidence data to analyze those treatment methods respectively. The present study is a comprehensive review of various treatments specially use of microwave ablation in large and symptomatic hepatic hemangiomas.