Successful Combination Therapy For Severe Infantile Hemangiomas: Case Report and Literature Search

Evidence-Based Medicine in the Treatment of Infantile Hemangiomas

Over the past decade, the treatment of infantile hemangiomas has undergone dramatic breakthroughs. This review critically evaluates the latest literature that supports the myriad treatment options for infantile hemangiomas. It chronicles the fading role of steroid therapy and evolution of propranolol use as the major treatment modality. Although propranolol is helping this disease become more of a medical disease and less of a surgical dilemma, the report also reveals a continued search to find nonsystemic treatment options. In summary, this is an evidence-based medicine review for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas.

Infantile hemangiomas treated by sequential application of pulsed dye laser and Nd:YAG laser radiation: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common benign tumor in children. They have 3 phases of development: a proliferative phase, an involuting phase, and involution. Although active treatment is often not required, it is necessary in some cases. Of the possible treatments for hemangiomas, lasers have been shown to be effective in all phases of development. We report our experience with dual-wavelength sequential pulses from a pulsed dye laser and an Nd:YAG laser.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a retrospective, descriptive study of patients with infantile hemangioma in different phases of development treated with pulsed dye laser pulses followed by Nd:YAG laser pulses. Four dermatologists assessed the effectiveness of treatment on a scale of 10 to 0. Adverse effects and incidents related to treatment were recorded. The median and interquartile range were calculated as descriptive statistics. Pretreatment and posttreatment comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon test.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients with hemangiomas in different phases of development were included. A statistically significant improvement was obtained both for the entire group and for different subgroups. Posttreatment events were reported in 4 patients, and included edema and ulceration, skin atrophy, and hyperpigmentation.

CONCLUSIONS

We believe that treatment with dual-wavelength light from a pulsed dye laser and a Nd:YAG laser is a viable treatment option for infantile hemangiomas when first-line therapies are ineffective or contraindicated.

Retrospective study of the treatment of infantile hemangiomas using a combination of propranolol and pulsed dye laser

BACKGROUND

Infantile hemangioma (IH) clearance may be slow or incomplete in response to pulsed dye laser (PDL) or propranolol alone.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether IH treated with PDL and propranolol displayed more rapid and complete clearance than IH treated with propranolol alone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective review of facial-segmental IH treated with propranolol and PDL and controls treated with propranolol was conducted. Blinded physicians used patient photographs to select clearance level and the earliest date of near-complete clearance. Days of propranolol, PDL sessions, and propranolol dose, each until date of near-complete clearance; total days of propranolol; and total propranolol dose were recorded.

RESULTS

Infantile hemangiomas treated concurrently with propranolol and PDL achieved complete clearance (6/12) more often than IH treated with propranolol followed by PDL (2/5) or IH treated with propranolol alone (1/8; difference in clearance scores p = .01) and achieved near-complete clearance after fewer days of propranolol (mean 92 days for concurrent propranolol and PDL vs 288 days for propranolol; p < .001). Cumulative propranolol dose until near-complete clearance was lowest in the concurrent propranolol and PDL group (149.16 vs. 401.25 mg/kg for propranolol; p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Facial-segmental IH treated with propranolol and PDL displayed morerapid and complete clearance and required a lower cumulative propranolol dose to achieve near-complete clearance.