Hemangioma- capillary infantile
Overview
A dull red, firm, dome-shaped hemangioma, sharply demarcated from surrounding skin, usually located on the head and neck, which grows rapidly and generally undergoes regression and involution without scarring. It is caused by proliferation of immature capillary vessels in active stroma, and is usually present at birth or occurs within the first two or three months of life.
Causes
Capillary hemangiomas are believed to be hamartomatous proliferations of vascular endothelial cells.
Prognosis
Hemangiomas go through three stages of development and decay: 1. In the proliferation stage, a hemangioma grows very quickly. This stage can last up to twelve months. 2. In the rest stage, there is very little change in a hemangioma's appearance. This usually lasts until the infant is one to two years old. 3. In the involution phase, a hemangioma finally begins to diminish in size. Fifty percent of lesions will have disappeared by age five with the vast majority gone by puberty.
Treatment
Most hemangiomas disappear without treatment, leaving minimal or no visible marks. Large hemangiomas can leave visible skin changes secondary to severe stretching of the skin or damage to surface texture. When hemangiomas interfere with vision, breathing, or threaten significant cosmetic injury, they are usually treated. The mainstay of treatment is oral corticosteroid therapy. Other drugs such as interferon[12] or vincristine are sometimes considered if the corticosteroids do not work. If this fails, surgical removal often becomes necessary. Blockage of the airway will often require a tracheostomy to be performed (insertion of an external airway through the front of the neck into the trachea below the level of the obstruction). Smaller raised lesions are sometimes treated with injection of corticosteroid directly into the lesion. Pulsed dye laser can be useful for very early flat superficial lesions if they appear in cosmetically significant areas or for those lesions that leave residual surface blood vessels in the case of incomplete resolution. Unfortunately raised lesions or lesions under the skin do not respond to laser. A beta-blocker called propranolol has helped a handful of patients with infantile hemangiomas. Ulceration will usually heal with topical medication and special dressings under medical supervision. Sometimes pulsed dye laser can be used to accelerate healing. There is also a rare effect of Hemangioma which can cause more serious complications. [edit]