Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (with Kasabach Merritt syndrome) of the head and neck: Case report and review of the literature

An infant initially diagnosed with a parotid hemangioma presented with stridor and thrombocytopenia. Diagnosis of Kaposiform hemangioendiothelioma was confirmed with biopsy. The child succumbed to multi-system organ failure related to consumptive coagulopathy despite aggressive medical management. Kaposiform hemangioendiothelioma is a rare head and neck tumor that may be mistaken for a hemangioma on preliminary diagnosis, which may lead to increased morbidity and mortality especially in the setting of Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon. A platelet count may provide an early and important clue to the possibility of coagulopathy; prompting physicians to look for a diagnosis other than a simple hemangioma.