Hepatic hemangioendothelioma of infancy: clinical features of a large cohort of patients and proposed management

PURPOSE

The management of hepatic hemangioendothelioma (HHE) may be challenging. We aimed to review a large cohort of children who presented to our centers with symptomatic HHE in the last 16 years.

METHODS

We collected age at presentation, clinical features, histology, diagnostic process, management and outcome.

RESULTS

Twenty seven patients (male/female 5/22), median age 13 days (1-1530) presented with hepatomegaly (24/27), cardiac failure (10/27), cutaneous hemangiomas (8/27), fever and anemia (6/27 each), vomiting (5/27), splenomegaly (4/27). The lesion was focal, multifocal, or diffuse in 9 patients of each group. The management included medical treatment (8/27), embolization (8/27), resection (3/27), observation (6/27), transplantation (2/27). After 16 months' follow-up (30 days-11 years), 23/27 (85%) were alive. Diffuse lesions (4/4), cardiac failure (4/4), type II histology (4/4), age older than 6 months at diagnosis (3/4) predicted mortality (all p < 0.01). Histology showed type 1 lesion in 3/8, type 2 in 3/8, and type 3 in 2/8 with foci of angiosarcoma.

CONCLUSION

Most patients with symptomatic HHE can be managed successfully with a combination of medical, radiological and surgical treatments. Patients with diffuse lesions, late presentation, cardiac failure and type II histology have a poor outcome.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Diagnostic level IV. Therapeutic level IV.