Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of nineteen patients with hepatic hemangiomas who had undergone hepatic resection from January, 1985 to February, 2002 at Hanyang University Hospital.

Results: There were 19 patients, whose mean age was 46.7 years. The ages ranged from 34 years-64 years. There were 9 male patients and 10 female patients. The ratio of male and female was 1：1.1. Major symptoms were right upper quadrant pain, mass, epigastric pain, and non-specific GI symptoms. 14 cases of anatomical resections (6 right lobectomy, 3 left lobectomy, 5 left lateral segmentectomy) and 5 non anatomical resections were done. There were no postoperative deaths in this series. 6 patients (31.5%) developed operative complications. All of them were minor complications. During the mean follow up time of 87.8 months, symptomatic relief were achieved in 12 patients out of 14 patients who we could contact with outpatient follow up or telephone interview. One patient died of massive pleural effusion 4 years after operation.

Conclusion: Hepatic resection in patients who had cavernous hemangioma in the liver was safe and effective treatment modality if patients were selected with suitable indications. Operation indications were severe symptoms, diagnostic uncertainty. (Korean J HBP Surg 2002;6:33-37)