[Giant haemangioma of the liver: diagnosis and treatment].

- A liver haemangioma is a benign, usually small tumour comprised of blood vessels, which is often discovered coincidentally; giant haemangiomas are defined as haemangiomas larger than 5 cm.- The differential diagnosis includes other hypervascular tumours, such as hepatocellular adenoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, metastasis of a neuro-endocrine tumour or renal cell carcinoma.- The diagnosis is based on abdominal ultrasonography and can be confirmed by a CT or MR scan.- A wait-and-see approach is justified in patients without symptoms or with minimal symptoms, even in the presence of a giant haemangioma.- Surgical resection of a giant haemangioma is only necessary when the preoperative diagnosis is inconclusive, or when the haemangioma leads to mechanical symptoms or complications.- Extirpation is the only effective form of treatment of the giant haemangioma; enucleation is preferred over partial liver resection.- A known complication of a giant haemangioma is the occurrence of disseminated intravascular coagulation, the Kasabach-Merritt syndrome; intervention is then demanded.