Background/aims: To conduct a systematic review of observational studies to evaluate effectiveness of surgery for liver hemangioma.
Methodology: Related studies were identified using different searching engines. Two reviewers independently extracted data on mortality, morbidity and symptoms recurrence and/or aggravation.
Results: Sixteen studies with a total of 1485 patients (402 in surgery and 1085 in observation group) were included in the analysis. Two deaths in surgical group (8.0%, 2/25) and two deaths in observation group (1.4%, 2/143) were reported. The RRs for mortality were not homogeneous (χ2=3.40, 1 d.f., P=0.07, I2=71 per cent). The RRs for morbidity were homogeneous across studies (x2=5.55, 12 d.f., P=0.94, I2=0 per cent). Morbidity in surgery group was significantly higher than that in observation group (RR=14.7, 95 per cent c.i. 9.56 to 45.63). Eight studies reported the symptom aggravation and RRs were heterogeneous (x2=31.03, 7 d.f., P<0.0001, I2=77 per cent), However, showed no statistical difference.
Conclusion: The currently involved retrospective cohort studies of surgical series were likely to imply that surgery may take more risks than the benefits for non-emergency hemangioma patients.