Liver resection in children with hepatic neoplasms.

In the past ten years, 28 patients with primary tumors of the liver have been treated. There were 11 benign tumors, including four hamartomas, three patients with focal nodular hyperplasia, and two each with congenital cysts and hemangioma. Hamartomas and masses of focal nodular hyperplasia should be excised when possible, but both are benign lesions; therefore life threatening excisions at the porta hepatis should be avoided. Cysts are often resectable, but when occupying all lobes of the liver, they can be successfully managed by marsupialization into the free peritoneal cavity. If resectable, hemangiomas should be removed; when occupying most of the liver as they often do, patients may be subject to platelet trapping or to cardiac failure. In some instances these lesions have been controlled by steroids, radiation therapy or hepatic artery ligation. Of 17 malignant tumors seen, 12 proved to be hepatoblastomas. Nine of the 12 patients underwent liver resection, of whom four are cured, (33%). There were three children with hepatocellular carcinomas and two with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. One child from each of these groups is cured by surgical excision. At present the only known cures in children with primary malignant liver neoplasms have been achieved by operative removal.