Hypergiant hepatic hemangiomas: case series

Hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors of the liver. Hepatic hemangiomas originate from the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, and enlarge by ectasia rather than hyperplasia. They are very variable in size and are classified accordingly and their management in the larger variety is debatable. Hypergiant hepatic hemangiomas are defined as those which are more than 10 cm in size. These are fairly uncommon in clinical practice. The treatment spectrum varies from masterly inactivity to resection depending upon a number of factors. We report a series of 10 cases of hyper giant hepatic hemangiomas studied and reviewed over a period of 5 years. These were evaluated with respect to their age, gender, clinical presentation, investigation findings, treatment offered, and final outcome. Five were treated with resection, four with enucleation, and one was kept under observation. All operated patients had an uneventful post-operative recovery and the one managed conservatively was asymptomatic on follow-up.