Clinical data of 12 cases of hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma in children were reviewed in order to raise the level of diagnosis and treatment.

Twelve children with hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma whose age range from 4 to 147 months were treated in our hospital between January 1996 and December 2009. Abdominal mass and distension were the chief complaints. The AFP levels in 8 cases elevated to 48.2-9187.2 μg/L. Four tumor biopsys were performed preoperatively under B ultrasonography, only 1 patient got the diagnosis of mesenchymal hamartoma. 2 patients received embolization and chemotherapy before operations were suspected of hepatoblastoma. All patients underwent operations including right hemihepatectomy in 3 cases, left lateral hepatic lobectomy in 3 cases, irregular right hemihepatectomy in 2 cases, right trilobectomy in 2 cases, left hemihepatectomy in 1 case, irregular hepatic partial resection in 1 case.

All patients recovered uneventfully. All patients were followed up from 7 months to 14 years, 1 died at 1 year old because of biliary atresia, 1 with tumor survival, the other 10 patients get tumor free survival with normal AFP level.

Mesenchymal hamartoma is a rare benign tumor arise from liver in children. The diagnosis of it depend on combination of preoperative AFP level, ultrasound, CT and needle biopsy. Exploratory laparotomy is necessary if the diagnosis is difficult. The prognosis is good if the tumor is removed completely removed.