Mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver is a rare tumor in childhood. Moreover, the recurrence after surgical intervention has not been reported in Japanese literatures. We experienced a case of mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver which recurred 2 months after excision. Two-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for the evaluation of abdominal distension. CT and abdominal ultrasonography revealed multicystic lesions of the liver but laboratory and angiographic findings denied a malignant tumor of the liver. A benign cystic tumor was the most probable diagnosis. Operation was performed on July 24, 1984. The cyst in the right lobe of the liver was enucleated and the middle lobe which contained small cyst was partialy resected. Histology of the tumor was cystic mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver. Recurrence of cystic lesion was observed by CT scan and abdominal ultrasonography after 2 months. The patient was readmitted for reoperation. CT and ultrasonography revealed nearly the same findings. Extended right lobectomy was performed on July 25, 1985. The postoperative course was uneventful. No recurrence has been detected after 3 years. Only one case of recurrence was reported in English literatures. We consider that surgical treatment of cystic mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver should be lobectomy of the liver.
