• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.648-652
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• 2005

In 1940, Kasabach and Merritt first described the association of a large vascular tumor and thrombocytopenia and termed this Kasabach-Merritt(KM) syndrome. It is characterized by a rapidly enlarging vascular anomaly and consumptive coagulopathy with thrombocytopenia, prolonged prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time, hypofibrinogenemia, and the presence of D-dimer and fibrin split product, with or without microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. This is a potentially life-threatening condition with mortality rates from 20 to 30% as a result of severe sepsis, coagulopathy, or invasion of vital organs. Treatment modalities are corticosteroids, interferon alfa-2a or 2b, chemotherapy(vincristine, cyclophosphamide, etc.), aspirin, dipyridamole, com- pression, radiation therapy, embolization of feeding vessels and surgical excision. A standard treatment regimen for KM syndrome has not been established and most reports on definitive management of these complex vascular lesions have been anecdotal, involving small numbers of patients. The authors have successfully treated a patient of KM syndrome with actively bleeding huge hemangioma by surgical excision. They present it with the review of articles.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.116-122
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• 2010

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome is a rare thrombocytopenic consumptive coagulopathy associated with a giant hemangioma. We experienced a case of unexplained ascites with thrombocytopenia in a 32 week premature infant. An exploratory laparotomy was performed to determine the cause of the refractory ascites and thrombocytopenia. An intestinal hemangioma was found, but, surgical removal was not performed due to the extensive involvement. Hemangioma was confirmed by SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) and the thrombocytopenia was treated with steroid therapy. It is recommended that hemangioma of the visceral organs should be suspected when unexplained thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy persist.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.83-86
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• 2009

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) consists of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and localized consumption coagulopathy that develops within vascular hemangioma. This syndrome may also be associated with occult hemangiomas located at various sites. Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy and SPECT have proven to be reliable for confirming or excluding hemangioma. Total body blood pool imaging study during the scintigraphy also provides a means of screening for occult lesions. The authors report the case of a 29-year-old man who presented with a giant hepatic hemangioma complicated by KMS, and underwent Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy and SPECT including a total body blood pool imaging study.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.1004-1008
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• 2005

Hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors of infancy. Fifteen to 30% of these patients have multiple hemangiomas. Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis (DNH) is a disease that often has a fatal outcome if left untreated, and is characterized by multiple cutaneous and visceral hemangiomas. Corticosteroids are the commonly accepted first line treatment, but if no effect is seen, further treatment is required such as interferon, surgical excision, embolization and radiotherapy. Interferon is effective, but the neurologic sequela including spastic diplegia can be a complication. We experienced a case of DHN in a neonate. In this case, the baby presented with multiple cutaneous and visceral hemangiomas with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) that included thrombocytopenia and consumptive coagulophthy. The baby was successfully treated with vincristine after the failure of steroid therapy.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.134-143
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• 2008

Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma (IHHE) is the most common benign vascular hepatic tumor in children. We analyzed the 17-year experience of IHHE. The medical records of 16 patients (M:F=8:8) treated at the Department of Pediatric Surgery and the Department of Pediatrics Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January 1991 and January 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Mean age at presentation was 87 days (1 day - 551 days). Seventy five percent of patients were diagnosed with imaging study and 25 % with biopsy. Major symptoms were hepatomegaly (N=5), palpable abdominal mass (N=4) and congestive heart failure (N=3). Six patients had no symptoms. Kasabach-Merritt syndrome was combined in one patient. Nine patients (56.3 %) underwent operation and 2 patients (12.5 %) underwent only medical treatment. Clinical observation was tried on 5 patients (31.3 %) without any treatment. Operation was performed on the patient with clinical symptoms or on patients where the differentiation between begin and malignant could not be determined. Patients who had clinical symptoms but tumor was unreresectabile were treated medically. Among the 5 patients who had been observed for their clinical course, 2 patients showed complete regression and the tumors of the remaining 3 patients were regressing. Clinical symptoms, the age at presentation, the size of tumor and ${\alpha}$-FP, all had no significant statistical relationship with the time required for complete tumor regression. There was no relationship between the size change of the tumor and the change of ${\alpha}$-FP level. Only the size of tumor was related with clinical symptoms. One patient died of post-operatvie bleeding. Treatment plan was determined by the extent of the tumor and the presence of clinical symptoms. Observation was enough for the patients without clinical symptoms and complete resection was curative for patients with clinical symptoms. Medical treatment is an alternative for the patient whose tumor is unresectable.