Hepatic hemangioma in childhood: medical management or surgical management?

[Corticotherapy and giant hemangioma of the liver. Return to the normal values of cytokines]

We report the case of a 36 year-old woman presenting with a giant liver hemangioma revealed by febrile hepatomegaly and weight loss. The patient presented an inflammatory syndrome without hyperleucytose, anemia and a moderate anicteric cholestasis. Plasma concentrations of interleukine-6 were very high whereas interleukine-1 levels were relatively low and TNF levels were normal. Eight weeks of corticosteroid treatment (prednisone 40 mg/d) resulted in disappearance of symptoms after 48 hours and biological anomalies after 6 weeks. Clinical and radiological follow-up, for respectively 36 and 24 months, did not show any relapse of symptoms or evolution of the hemangioma.

Congenital symptomatic intrahepatic arteriovenous fistulas in newborns: management of 2 cases with prenatal diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Fetal and neonatal hepatic arteriovenous fistulas are rare and associated with a high mortality rate; they can be prenatally detected by ultrasonography. Management of these malformations can be a challenge for pediatric surgeons.

METHODS

Two patients with a prenatal diagnosis of intrahepatic arteriovenous shunts were treated at our institution in the last 2 years. A hepatic complex arteriovenous malformation fed respectively by prominent branches of the hepatic artery and of the celiac trunk rising from dilated suprarenal aortae and draining into suprahepatic veins was detected. In the first case, an embolization was performed; in the second, the surgical resection of the vascular malformation was the treatment of choice.

RESULTS

The first patient died after embolization and before surgery for hemodynamic complications. The second patient, at a follow-up of 16 months, is alive and doing well.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic resection is the treatment of choice for localized intrahepatic arteriovenous malformation. Theoretically, embolization could be curative or reduce the size of a malformation, making consequent hepatic resection feasible. Results do not support this theory because of the high rate of complications recorded that brought in every case, ours included, to the death of the child.

GLUT1 endothelial reactivity distinguishes hepatic infantile hemangioma from congenital hepatic vascular malformation with associated capillary proliferation

Hepatic vascular lesions in pediatric patients have overlapping definitions and a plethora of confusing terminology. The so-called hepatic infantile hemangioendothelioma (IHE) frequently coexists and shares some biological features with cutaneous juvenile hemangioma (CJH). To clarify the nature of hepatic vascular lesions in pediatric patients and to investigate the association between IHE and CJH, we reviewed the clinical features, imaging findings and histopathology of 19 cases of hepatic vascular lesions diagnosed at our institution over the last 33 years. Immunohistochemical stains for a battery of endothelial markers, including GLUT1, were performed. Our results indicate that there are two fundamentally different hepatic vascular lesions in infants and young children: GLUT1-positive hepatic infantile hemangioma (HIH) and GLUT1-negative hepatic vascular malformation with capillary proliferation (HVMCP). The finding of consistent GLUT1 immunoreactivity of endothelial cells in HIH not only offers a powerful tool to distinguish HIH from HVMCP, but also provides immunophenotypic evidence of the similar biological origins of CJH and HIH.

Spontaneous regression of severe acquired infantile hypothyroidism associated with multiple liver hemangiomas

A 9-week-old infant presented with severe postnatal hypothyroidism. His hypothyroidism corrected only after his L-thyroxine dose was progressively increased to 28 micro g/kg/d. At 6 months of age, multiple clinically asymptomatic hepatic hemangiomas were detected and support a diagnosis of consumptive hypothyroidism as a result of increased type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase activity in the hemangiomas. Coincident with the involution of the hemangiomas, the child's hypothyroidism improved and L-thyroxin replacement could be stopped at the age of 3 years. Despite some degree of hypothyroidism for several weeks during infancy, his growth and development have been normal.

Hemangioma of the liver in children: proliferating vascular tumor or congenital vascular malformation?

BACKGROUND

Hepatic vascular tumors (HVT) are the most common benign liver tumors present in infancy and childhood commonly associated with high output cardiac failure. Pediatric HVT usually are divided into infantile hemangioendothelioma (IHE), cavernous hemangioma (HC), and arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The aim of this study was to analyze clinical and histologic features of pediatric HVT in relation to treatment strategies.

PROCEDURE

During last 12 years, 17 children have been treated because of HVT. The diagnosis of HVT was established in all on the basis of clinical and imaging data. A retrospective analysis of clinical records and histopathology divided 17 into: Group 1, neonates; and Group 2, infants and older children.

RESULTS

Radiologic imaging revealed the vascular nature of the tumors in all patients. All nine from Group 1 were symptomatic from AVMs and seven were operated upon. Only one of eight children from Group 2 presented symptoms of AVM requiring surgery; four of five in this group had surgery because of the risk of malignancy. Within Group 1, a mixture of proliferating IHE with microscopic features of AVM was found in most. In three neonates with HVT immunologic and clinical features of cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis were noted. In two Group 2 patients, pure HC was present and in another, the diagnosis of angiosarcoma was established after biopsy of a peritoneal metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

HVT in children demonstrate internal morphologic heterogeneity and an age-related behavior of the disease. We also confirm the proliferative nature of all hemangioendotheliomas (HEs) in children. Further studies on the tumorigenesis of these lesions are needed.

Perioperative considerations in a hypothyroid infant with hepatic haemangioma

Hepatic haemangiomas in infants are rare. An infant with both a hepatic haemangioma and a severe hypothyroid condition, unresponsive to conventional thyroxine therapy, will be described. This case presented here is the perioperative management of a critically ill infant who had myocardial depression secondary to hypothyroidism and a hepatic haemangioma that required embolization. To our knowledge, this is the first published report describing intravenous triiodothyronine as a therapeutic modality to stabilize a hypothyroid infant prior to undergoing a general anaesthetic.

Fetal Hepatic Hemangioma Prenatal Diagnosis

A case of a fetal hepatic hemangioma, complicated by dilated cardiomyopathy, is presented. In cases of large arteriovenous shunting, emergent treatment is often required following delivery due to ensuing renal failure, pulmonary hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coagulopathy. A thorough perinatal sonogram performed at a screening facility detected the anomaly, providing the patient and her physician time to arrange for a delivery at a tertiary-care center that could accommodate such a critically ill patient.

Hepatic hemangioendothelioma: clinical experience and management strategy

PURPOSE

This study sought to define management strategies based on clinical experience in treating infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients with hemangioendothelioma presenting to a tertiary liver transplantation center between 1989 and 1997 was performed.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients (median age, 14 days) with hemangioendothelioma were identified. Congestive heart failure (P<.03) and abdominal mass (P<.081) were predictive of 5-month mortality rates. Ultrasonography and computerized axial tomography were the diagnostic modalities most commonly used. Treatment strategies consisted of medical management (steroids and alpha-interferon) and interventional modalities (hepatic artery ligation or embolization, resectional surgery, or orthotopic liver transplantation). Patients who underwent resectional surgery, with or without orthotopic liver transplantation, had a lower 5-month mortality rate (P<.02) and a greater 2-year survival rate (P<.003) than did those who underwent hepatic artery ligation or embolization. Early morbidity and mortality tended to be a consequence of the primary lesion, whereas late morbidity and mortality were reflective of the treatment modality used.

CONCLUSIONS

In cases of failed medical management, resectional therapy should be used when possible. If partial hepatectomy is not technically achievable, hepatic artery embolization should be used either as definitive therapy or as a temporizing measure until orthotopic liver transplantation is possible.

Unresectable hepatic tumors in childhood and the role of liver transplantation

Liver transplantation has been performed in five children with unresectable hepatic tumors who did not have extrahepatic metastases at the time of surgery. Two of the children had hepatoblastomas, one had an infantile hemangioendothelioma, and two had a hepatoma. The two children who had hepatoblastoma are well (37 and 25 months posttransplant) and have no evidence of recurrence. The child with infantile hemangioendothelioma had a successful operation, with good quality of life, but died of tumor recurrence 41 months after transplantation. Both children with hepatomas died, one of graft failure owing to chronic rejection and the other of tumor recurrence 5 months posttransplant. These results suggest that liver transplantation may be successful in children with unresectable hepatic tumors without extrahepatic spread and should be considered particularly for the treatment of hepatoblastoma.

Hepatic vascular anomalies in infancy: a twenty-seven-year experience

OBJECTIVE

Infantile hemangioma and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the liver have a similar presentation but a different natural history, and therefore require different treatment. This study was undertaken to clarify differential diagnosis and management of these two biologically distinct vascular disorders.

STUDY DESIGN

We retrospectively analyzed the records of 43 children with hepatic vascular anomalies treated during the past 27 years.

RESULTS

Ninety percent were hemangiomas (n = 39); 10% were AVM (n = 4). Infants with AVM or large solitary hemangioma had hepatomegaly, congestive heart failure, and anemia as presenting symptoms at birth. Multiple hepatic hemangiomas manifested at 1 to 16 weeks of age with the same clinical triad, plus multiple cutaneous lesions (19/23). The mortality rate after treatment of hepatic AVM was 50% (2/4). The mortality rates after treatment of liver hemangiomas were as follows: resection of solitary lesions, 20% (2/10); embolization, 43% (3/7); corticosteroids, 30% (3/10); and interferon alfa-2a, 15% (2/13).

CONCLUSION

Solitary hepatic hemangioma cannot always be distinguished from hepatic AVM without radiologic studies. Multiple hepatic hemangiomas are differentiated from hepatic AVM by coexistence of multiple cutaneous hemangioma and by radiologic imaging. We recommend combined embolization and surgical resection for hepatic AVM and for solitary symptomatic hemangioma, if drug therapy fails. Pharmacologic treatment is used for symptomatic multiple liver hemangiomas. Embolization allows interim control of heart failure. A decreased mortality rate after interferon alfa-2a therapy is encouraging.

Giant infantile hemangioendothelioma of the liver. Scintigraphic diagnosis

Infantile hemangioendothelioma of the liver is benign mesenchymal tumor composed of anastomosing vascular channels lined with plump endothelial cells. It is a congenital lesion noted at birth or during the first 6 months of life. The authors report a large infantile hemangioendothelioma that was imaged with anatomical modalities and Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy. An early "blush" on Tc-99m RBC hepatic scintigraphy is a diagnostic feature of infantile hemangioendothelioma.

Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma: the role of surgery

Of 16 infants with infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma, 14 (88%) presented before age 3 months. For seven cases (44%), the diagnosis was suspected from antenatal ultrasonographic findings. Two (13%) presented with asymptomatic hepatomegaly. The most common presenting features were high-output cardiac failure in 11 (69%), consumptive coagulopathy in 12 (75%), and anemia in 12(75%). Sixty-three percent of the children had associated cutaneous hemangiomata, and disseminated hemangiomatosis was noted in two (13%). Medical measures were effective in stabilizing seven (44%) cases with high-output congestive cardiac failure and/or consumptive coagulopathy. Partial right hepatectomy was successful for four patients; the only death occurred in a newborn, after intraperitoneal rupture of the hepatic hemangioma. Embolization was used in two children to induce involution. Spontaneous involution occurred in two patients. Initially, hepatic hemangiomas should be treated conservatively, with surgery reserved for intractable cardiac failure and/or refractory consumptive coagulopathy.

Hepatic artery ligation for hepatic vascular tumors with arteriovenous and arterioportal venous shunts in the newborn: successful management of two cases and review of the literature

The authors report their experience with hepatic artery ligation in two newborns, as well as relevant findings from a literature review. A 2-day-old boy had progressive cardiac and respiratory difficulty. A firm liver was palpable, with an overlying thrill. Sonography and arteriography showed diffuse arteriovenous shunting in both liver lobes. Hepatic artery ligation provided remarkable hemodynamic and clinical improvement. Another boy was admitted 3 weeks after birth because of bilious vomiting with abdominal distension and bloody stools. Abdominal examination showed a large liver with a systolic bruit and thrill. X-rays showed cardiac enlargement and dilated bowel loops with air-fluid levels. Arteriography and sonography showed arteriovenous and arterioportal venous shunting. Laparotomy was performed, and a large vascular malformation was palpated in both liver lobes. The entire bowel was congested and cyanotic, but there were no signs of obstruction. This patient had acute portal hypertension imitating intestinal obstruction. Ligation of the hepatic artery improved the color of the bowel, and the thrill disappeared. Five and nearly 4 years after the operation, both boys are growing normally without medication or diet. Sonography showed almost complete resolution of the hemangiomas.

Infantile hepatic haemangioendothelioma

Three cases of infantile hepatic haemangioendotheliomas are described. Two demonstrate the natural history of regression of this benign tumour with no associated complication. The last case demonstrates life-threatening complications, which included cardiac failure, thrombocytopenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation and bleeding. Imaging modalities with plain films, ultrasound, computed tomography and angiograms are presented. Pathological findings in two of the cases are also described.

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.

Benign liver tumors in children: a 25-year experience

The most common benign liver tumors are hemangiomas and hamartomas, both of mesenchymal origin. Mortality for patients with these tumors has traditionally been substantial despite benign histology. Between 1965 and 1989, 22 patients were treated for a benign liver tumor. This represents 42% of all primary neoplasms of the liver observed during this period. Incidental findings of liver tumors at autopsy were excluded from this series. There were 9 boys and 13 girls with a mean age at presentation of 2.3 years (range, birth to 14 years). Sixteen had hemangiomas and presented earlier in life (mean age, 4.4 months). In this subgroup, high-output cardiac failure was present in 58% of the newborns. Seven hemangiomas were resected, four were observed, three were treated with digitalis, diuretics, and steroids, and one received epsilon-aminocaproic acid. Nonhemangiomatous tumors included four hamartomas, one focal nodular hyperplasia, and one nodular transformation. All six were resected. There was one death early in the series. At a mean follow-up of 38 months, 21 of the 22 patients are cured or asymptomatic. In the past, mortality rates of close to 90% have prompted many investigators to advocate resection of every symptomatic hemangioma. With the availability of more sophisticated imaging techniques and refinements in the treatment of cardiac failure, surgery can be used more selectively. Hepatic resections, once considered heroic, can now be performed with minimal morbidity and virtually no mortality. The 96% survival in this series of benign liver tumors contrasts with high mortality rates reported in the literature and illustrates the spectacular improvements that have been made in the diagnosis and management of these once ill-reputed tumors.

Infantile hepatic haemangioma: investigation and treatment

Infantile hepatic haemangiomas are benign tumours which tend to regress in late infancy. We describe five infants with hepatic haemangioma, three of whom developed congestive cardiac failure. Technetium-99m labelled red blood cell scan was useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of the lesion. The three symptomatic infants were treated with prednisone (2 mg/kg per day) for 2 months in addition to digoxin and diuretics. Significant clinical improvement occurred within 3 weeks in each case. We conclude that the red blood cells scan is a good non-invasive diagnostic test and recommend corticosteroids as initial management for symptomatic infantile hepatic haemangiomas.

Infantile hemangioendothelioma of the pelvis associated with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome

A case of infantile hemangioendothelioma of the pelvis in a newborn male infant is described. Shortly after delivery, a large abdominal mass was found by external examination. CT scan revealed a hypervascular retroperitoneal pelvic mass invading the lumbar spinal column. Exploratory laparotomy was performed and biopsy revealed infantile hemangioendothelioma. The tumor was associated with profound thrombocytopenia, intratumoral hemorrhage, and right hydroureteronephrosis. After treatment with high dose steroids, Cytoxan, and external beam radiation for 2 months, the patient was discharged with persistent thrombocytopenia requiring platelet transfusions. The hydroureteronephrosis has also not improved. The literature on this subject is reviewed.

Follow-up imaging of benign pediatric liver tumors

Though surgery has been recommended in the past for the management of benign hepatic tumors, the current emphasis is on medical management. This report of 4 cases with long-term (8-28 months) follow-up emphasizes the natural history of these tumors which serves to indicate the advantages and disadvantages of CT and ultrasound. The lesions typically involute with some calcification. Calcification can technically be a problem in follow-up with sonography.

Hepatic hemangioma: resection using hypothermic circulatory arrest in the newborn

Hepatic hemangioma (hemangioendothelioma) is a benign vascular tumor with significant morbidity and mortality. Two newborn infants underwent partial hepatectomy for treatment of massive hepatic hemangioma, one with atrial septal defect and secondary congestive heart failure, and the other with symptomatic marked hepatomegaly. Cardiopulmonary bypass with induced deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was used in both patients in order to facilitate resection and prevent sudden massive blood loss. One infant also had closure of an atrial septal defect in addition to the partial hepatectomy. Both infants survived without complication and showed complete resolution of preoperative symptoms. This technique coupled with the use of fibrin glue is of value in infants with large hepatic hemangiomata and cardiac decompensation in the neonatal period.

Computed tomographic appearances of massive neonatal hemangioma of the liver: a case report

The unusual computed tomographic appearances of a hepatic hemangioma in a neonate are reported. The liver was replaced by cystlike spaces that enhanced with contrast. These blood-filled spaces were responsible for the cardiac failure that improved following ligation of the hepatic artery.

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome

Eight infants with hemangiomata associated with severe consumption coagulopathy are reviewed; three died. The presentations and method of management are discussed. The varied response to different modalities of therapy initiated this report and led to a search of the world literature in an attempt to identify the pattern of response, if any, to particular therapy. From our own experience with two cases and from the review of the literature, it appears that radiotherapy alone or in combination with steroids gives a superior overall treatment in terms of reducing the death rate.

Hepatic hemangioendothelioma of infancy associated with elevated alpha fetoprotein and catecholamine by-products

Five cases of hepatic hemangioendothelioma (HH) were seen in infants ranging from 2 days to 5 months of age. The cases were studied by clinical chemistry, immunohistochemical staining, and electron microscopic techniques. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were elevated in each of the four patients in whom levels were obtained. The highest elevation was noted in a 2-day-old infant with a diffuse, unresectable lesion involving the right lobe. Two patients who underwent complete resections of their solitary HH had normalization of their AFP levels. This study suggests that AFP levels in patients with HH are closely related to the patients' age, with the youngest patient having the highest levels of AFP. Catecholamine by-products (VMA and HVA) were elevated in one of four patients in whom levels were obtained, this infant was 3 months old at the time of presentation. She also had an elevated AFP level, a diffuse unresectable lesion involving the entire liver, multiple pulmonary nodules, and cutaneous hemangiomas. Immunohistochemical study failed to demonstrate the source of AFP or the catecholamine by-products in the tumor of this patient, suggesting that the source of catecholamine by-products could be stress-induced catecholamine secretion.

Splanchnic bed vascular malformations and the development of portal hypertension

The vascular lesions, angiomas, and arteriovenous malformations are known to be associated with a number of complications. These lesions, when present in the liver, may precipitate heart failure in infants. Recent reports suggest that although the prognosis is good for the majority of infants who survive the neonatal period, the lesions are capable of causing portal hypertension later in life. We have encountered three patients whose vascular lesions were in continuity with the portal circulation who subsequently went on to develop portal hypertension. One patient had angiomas of the liver, one splenic and colonic angiomas, and the third had diffuse arteriovenous malformations of the intestine. Data are presented and literature is reviewed, which suggest that any vascular lesion that is capable of substantially increasing portal blood flow may lead to the development of portal hypertension. The treatment of such lesions should be aggressive. If surgical management is not possible, alternative treatments such as embolization should be attempted early in order to increase the chance for successful therapy.

Hepatic artery embolisation; successful treatment of multinodular haemangiomatosis of the liver

A patient with multinodular haemangiomatosis of the liver, rapidly deteriorating in the first weeks of life due to severe progressive congestive heart failure, was successfully treated by hepatic artery catheter embolisation at the age of 6 weeks.

Diagnosis and management of massive hepatic hemangiomas in childhood

Twelve patients diagnosed as having hepatic hemangiomas during 1960 to 1982 at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne are reviewed. This rare benign vascular tumor can present considerable problems in both diagnosis and management and has a high reported mortality. Our experience over this 23-year period demonstrates some of the difficulties in diagnosis and suggests a plan of management. Eight patients were diagnosed when five weeks of age or less, the youngest was 24 hours old. One was diagnosed at four months of age. In the remaining three patients, the diagnosis was made at postmortem. Ten patients had prominent hepatomegaly, nine had congestive cardiac failure and in one of these the onset was delayed four weeks. Thrombocytopenia was present in five and jaundice in four patients. Four patients had associated cutaneous or visceral hemangiomas. Seven patients underwent selective hepatic arteriography, and two of these had prior ultrasound examinations of the liver. Management of congestive cardiac failure included steroids, radiotherapy, hepatic resection, and in one patient, hepatic artery ligation. One patient with diffuse hepatic hemangiomas did not require any specific therapy and resolved spontaneously over two years. The four patients in whom hepatic resection was performed survived.