Reappraisal of surgical timing and indication selection for hepatic hemangioma in the era of minimally invasive and precision liver surgery

YUAN Sheng-xian, ZU Yun-xi, ZHOU Wei-ping

Chinese Journal of Practical Surgery ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3) : 306-310.

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Chinese Journal of Practical Surgery ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3) : 306-310. DOI: 10.19538/j.cjps.issn1005-2208.2026.03.05

Reappraisal of surgical timing and indication selection for hepatic hemangioma in the era of minimally invasive and precision liver surgery

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Abstract

Hepatic hemangioma is the most common benign liver tumor and is often detected during routine physical examination. Most lesions grow slowly, whereas a minority may enlarge progressively to giant hemangioma and cause symptoms such as abdominal distension and poor appetite. To date, high-level evidence-based guidelines are still lacking, leading to substantial inter-center variation in surgical indications. With advances in minimally invasive surgery, intraoperative visualization, and artificial intelligence-assisted decision-making, diagnostic accuracy has improved and perioperative trauma and risk have declined, which has intensified the debate on optimal timing and indications for surgery. The key controversy is whether to intervene earlier at a relatively low procedural cost to eliminate potential growth risk, or to prioritize close surveillance and operate after symptom development to avoid overtreatment. Current evidence and clinical experience support an individualized strategy based on symptoms, growth dynamics, anatomical location, technical feasibility, and expected benefit-risk balance, with dynamic reassessment over time. In the context of precision liver resection and minimally invasive surgery, a more practical risk-stratified indication framework is needed to optimize surgical timing and overall outcomes.

Key words

hepatic hemangioma / surgical indication / timing of surgery / minimally invasive surgery / precision hepatectomy

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YUAN Sheng-xian , ZU Yun-xi , ZHOU Wei-ping. Reappraisal of surgical timing and indication selection for hepatic hemangioma in the era of minimally invasive and precision liver surgery[J]. Chinese Journal of Practical Surgery. 2026, 46(3): 306-310 https://doi.org/10.19538/j.cjps.issn1005-2208.2026.03.05

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利益冲突 所有作者均声明不存在利益冲突

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(8257100559)
National Natural Science Foundation of China(82473341)
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