Quality of life can be improved by surgical management of giant hepatic haemangioma with enucleation as the preferred option

ObjectivesSurgical resection represents the main curative treatment for giant hepatic haemangioma (GHH). The aim of this study was to compare the respective outcomes of hepatic enucleation (HE) and hepatic resection (HR) for GHH.MethodsGiant hepatic haemangioma was defined as haemangioma of 5–15 cm in size. A prospectively maintained database consisting of a series of consecutive patients who underwent HE or HR of GHH from January 2004 to December 2013 was analysed.ResultsHepatic enucleation was performed in 386 (52.9%) patients and HR in 344 (47.1%) of a final cohort of 730 patients. The median size of GHH was similar in the HR and HE groups (9.8 and 10.6 cm, respectively; P = 0.752). The HE group had a shorter median operative time (150 min versus 240 min; P = 0.034), shorter median hospital stay (5.7 days versus 8.6 days; P < 0.001), lower median blood loss (400 ml versus 860 ml; P < 0.001), and fewer complications (17.6% versus 28.2%; P < 0.001) than the HR group. Quality of life scores in both the HR and HE groups significantly improved compared with preoperative levels and were similar to those found in healthy Chinese individuals following surgery, confirming the efficacy of both treatments.ConclusionsHepatic enucleation was associated with favourable operative outcomes compared with HR and is a safe and effective alternative to partial hepatectomy for GHH.