Diffused hepatic angiosarcoma with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome-case report and literature review

• Main Authors: Xing-mao Zhang, Yao Tong, Qing Li, Qiang He
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2020-03-01
• Series: BMC Gastroenterology
• Subjects: Hepatic angiosarcoma; Kasabach-Merritt syndrome; Liver failure; Prognosis
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12876-020-01216-z

Abstract Background Hepatic angiosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor featured by highly aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. There are few reports about diffused hepatic angiosarcoma with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome till now. Case presentation A male patient with the chief complain of hepatic space-occupying lesion accompanied by disturbance of consciousness and jaundice. Hyperbilirubinemia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, prolonged prothrombin time, hypofibrinogenemia, decreased prothrombin activity, and increased fibrinogen degradation product and D-dimer were confirmed by blood analysis; multiple focal hypodense lesions in liver was detected by abdominal computed tomography. Liver failure and Kasabach-Merritt syndrome induced by hepatic hemangioma was diagnosed before operation and liver transplantation was performed. Hepatic angiosarcoma was finally proven by postoperative pathology. This patient died of tumor metastasis 2 months after operation. Conclusions Hepatic angiosarcoma which can generate Kasabach-Merritt syndrome and even liver failure has an extremely poor prognosis; liver transplantation option should not be considered in hepatic angiosarcoma regardless of the reason.