Surgical treatment of giant hemangiomas of the liver

Abstract

Giant liver hemangiomas are defined as hemangiomas with a diameter of more than 4 cm. They often require surgery due to bleeding tendencies or local compression. Between 1994 and 1998 we operated 11 patients with giant hemangiomas (median diameter 5.8 cm, range 4-12.5 cm). Average age was 50 years (range 23-85 years). 6 patients complained of pain, 1 patient sustained a bleeding. 7 hemangiomas were enucleated, 2 segmentally resected, 1 patient underwent a hemihepatectomy. 1 patient suffered from a bile leakage. Mortality was 0%. We conclude that clinically symptomatic liver hemangiomas can be safely resected. In a right sided localisation a enucleation has the best parenchyma sparing effect, in left sided locations a segmentectomy or bisegmentectomy can be performed with little blood loss.