Background: Hepatic hemangioma is the most common benign liver tumor. Surgery is indicated only for symptomatic or undefinitive diagnosis. Both enucleation and anatomical liver resection are justified techniques. We aim to review our experience and compare the surgical outcomes for both techniques. Methods: All patients who underwent surgery for hepatic hemangioma in our tertiary university Hospital in Damascus between 1/1/2010 and 31/12/2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into Enucleation (EN) group and Anatomical liver resection (LR) group. Pre-surgery parameters and postoperative surgical outcomes were compared. Results: A total of 57 patients were enrolled in this study, 25(43.9%) in EN group and 32(56.1%) in LR group. No significant difference in Pre-surgery parameters was found between the two groups. After surgery outcomes were similar in the two groups regarding liver function, hospitalization and perioperative mortality. However, more cases needed Transfusion in LR group than EN group (29(90%), 16(64%), P value 0.04, respectively) and mean plasma units were transfused more significantly in LR group (2.96, 0.75, P value 0.02, respectively). Conclusions: Both techniques are suitable for hemangioma with no statistical differences except for transfusion rates. Which technique to be used should be determined case by case.
Ahmad et al. (2025) studied this question.