Finding out that your child has a hemangioma can be upsetting. If your child’s hemangioma does need treatment, you’re in the right place. Here at Sakra, we have expert teams of surgical specialties who are specialists in the field of vascular anomalies. The team’s approach ensures that your child’s treatment plan is carefully developed and coordinated with the expertise of our specialists in vascular anomalies.

As with other conditions, bleeding and ulceration are the complications of hemangioma. The doctors at Sakra help you determine if your child’s hemangioma may be likely to have a complication based on the location, size, and speed of the growth. Our surgeons emphasize that treatment for hemangioma also requires good post-op care. Generally, shrinking of a hemangioma takes 1 to 5 years of life.

What are hemangiomas?

The most common benign tumors or vascular neoplasms that occur during infancy are called hemangiomas. Hemangiomas are formed due to the abnormal collection of blood vessels. Infantile hemangiomas are generally characterized by early proliferation and involution of blood vessels. Hemangiomas appear in varying sizes - small to large. Larger-sized hemangiomas grow gradually into lesions which may require surgical removal. Hemangioma cells multiply to grow and thicken though they are considered noncancerous lesions. They are different from cancerous lesions as they stop growing with time.

What causes hemangiomas in infants?

The reason for the occurrence of hemangiomas in infants is unknown. However, certain known facts about hemangiomas are as follows:

• More common in girls
• Mostly seen in Caucasian children
• Observed in babies born before their due date

What are the types of hemangiomas in infants?

There are three types which include:

• Hemangiomas which occur on the outer layers of the skin are called superficial hemangiomas. They appear purple to bright red in color.
• Hemangiomas which grow under the skin of the fat are called deep hemangiomas which are characterized by being blue or purple in color.
• The components of both deep and superficial hemangiomas are called mixed hemangiomas.

What are the sites at which hemangiomas develop?

• Cutaneous hemangiomas - 60% of cutaneous hemangiomas occur in the head and neck region. About 25% on the trunk and 15% on the extremities (legs and hands).
• Extracutaneous hemangiomas - Sites include the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, lymph nodes, spleen, urinary bladder, lung, thymus, central nervous system, larynx, adrenal glands, and gastrointestinal tract.

What are diffuse hemangiomas?

If more than 10 cutaneous hemangiomas are present, they are classified as diffuse hemangiomas. Diffuse neonatal hemangiomas are characterized by a rise in visceral lesions. Diffuse hemangiomas are life-threatening conditions which can cause congestive heart failure due to raised vascular volume. Diffuse hemangioma mostly affects the liver and gastrointestinal tract. They can be treated with corticosteroids, interferon-alpha, and conventional surgery.

What are the characteristic features of infantile hemangiomas?

• Rapid growth from birth to 4 weeks (proliferation stage)
• Little morphological change from 1–2 years (resting stage)
• Tumoral, plaque-like, or dome-shaped morphology
• Growth during the first 4–6 months after birth
• Slowed proliferation after 6–12 months
• Involution phase begins after growth slows
• 50% complete involution by age 5, 70% by age 7
• Girls are more commonly affected
• More common in Caucasian children
• Often seen in premature infants

What are the symptoms of hemangiomas?

• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Abdominal distress
• Feeling of abdominal fullness

What are the complications of hemangioma?

• Bleeding
• Ulceration
• Interference in organ function

What are the treatment options for hemangiomas?

Most hemangiomas resolve without treatment, but intervention is needed in some cases.

Treatment depends on:

• Age
• Size
• Growth pattern
• Location

Immediate treatment is needed when hemangiomas affect:

• The airway or liver
• Cause disfigurement
• Affect the ear canal or eyes

Common treatment options include:

• Surgical removal (rare cases)
• Cortisone (oral or injected)
• Laser therapy (for flat or residual lesions)

Other treatments include:

• Propranolol administration
• Oral corticosteroids
• Becaplermin gel
• Vincristine treatment
• Interferon-alpha treatment