Hemangioendothelioma of the liver in infants

Hemangioendotheliomas are the most common type of hepatic vascular tumors that present in infancy. Eleven infants (nine boys, two girls) were referred for definitive management from 1970 through 1990. Ten were symptomatic, and the majority required intensive medical therapy because of cardiac failure. All were treated surgically. Three underwent partial hepatectomy for unilobar disease, and eight had ligation of the hepatic artery because of bilobar disease. There were two deaths (18%) in the early part of the series. Ligation of the hepatic artery was completely successful in controlling cardiac failure in six infants and was partially successful in one. There are two surgical options for treating symptomatic hepatic hemangioendotheliomata in infancy. Bilobar multifocal disease can be treated successfully by ligation of the hepatic artery; if localized, hemangioendothelioma can be resected, with rapid control of symptoms.