Adult Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome due to Hepatic Giant Hemangioma

Abstract

Cavernous hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors of the liver. They can reach enormous sizes and cause various complications. Kasabach-Merritt syndrome is a rare but serious complication characterized by consumptive coagulopathy caused by the hemangioma; mortality rate ranges between 10 and 37%. More than 80% of cases occur within the first year of life. Goals of the treatment are to control the coagulopathyand thrombocytopenia as well as to eradicate the hemangioma. Different nonsurgical treatment regimens are performed, includingsystemic corticosteroids, irradiation and various chemicals. Surgery should be limited to symptomatic or complicated cases. Although difficult, resection of the tumor is usually curative. Here we present a 44-year-old woman with giant hepatic hemangioma causing Kasabach-Merritt syndrome managed by enucleation.

Keywords

• Kasabach-Merritt syndrome
• Hemangioma
• Liver