Published online Aug 27, 2012. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v4.i8.199
Revised: July 29, 2012
Accepted: August 2, 2012
Published online: August 27, 2012
Haemangiomas are the most common solitary benign neoplasm of the liver with an incidence ranging from 5% to 20%. Although usually small and asymptomatic, they may reach considerable proportions and rarely give rise to life-threatening complications. Surgical intervention is required for incapacitating symptoms, established complications, and diagnostic uncertainty. The resection of haemangiomas demands meticulous surgical technique, owing to their high vascularity and the concomitant risk of intra-operative haemorrhage. Laparoscopic resection of giant haemangiomas is even more challenging, and has only been reported twice. We here report the case of a giant 10 cm liver haemangioma which was successfully resected laparoscopically using the laparoscopic HabibTM 4×, a bipolar radiofrequency device, without clamping major vessels and with minimal blood loss. Transfusion of blood or blood products was not required. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was asymptomatic at 7-mo follow-up.