They are one of the most common benign tumor found in children. The word comes from the Greek term meaning haema blood, angeio which means the ship and grandmother who stood for the tumor. This is because it is a swelling or growth of endothelial cells lining the blood vessels. These tumors are usually seen as a birthmark on a newborn. In many cases, these lesions developed after a few weeks to a few months after birth. Many parents are often asked to wait and let the infant hemangioma to 'go' by itself. However, it can increase the size of the tumor and cause many complications. In such cases, treatment becomes necessary to help the child live a normal life.
Infantile hemangiomas, also called 'strawberry mark', is an abnormal cluster of tiny blood vessels that combine and get dilated. They usually occur on the face and neck, but can also be present in other parts of the body. They can be seen in the liver, spine, etc. They look like small bruises or red bumps. Gradually they began to grow and develop changes in appearance. There are two types of hemangiomas: shallow and compound. In the case of superficial lesions, they look flat and only involves the top layer of skin. The compound hemangioma occurs deep in the skin and appear as large lumps. The color of this tumor may be purple, bright red or even normal skin color. They are as small as 1 mm and can grow more than 20 cm.
The cause is still a mystery. Studies have found that women are more susceptible to this disorder than men. This may be caused by estrogen in women thought to promote the formation and growth of these benign lesions. They tend to grow and disappear on their own without treatment. However, when they involve vital organs such as the eyes, the wind pipe, ears, etc., which may start bleeding, infection or deformity surrounding tissue due to rapid growth, it becomes necessary to treat the condition.
Many parents are advised to leave the hemangioma alone and wait until the 'go'. This is all true because most of the lesions disappeared during the 10-year olds. There are various factors that play a role when it comes to treating lesions. If the lesion breed and packaging, compound, or located near vital organs, one may need to select the appropriate treatment options.
When it comes to treating hemangiomas, the first thing the doctor did was observe the patient for a period of time. It will provide a doctor to find out how changes in lesions with time. In the case of very young infants aged 1-2 months, giving them time to put on weight and response to treatment. The period of observation helps the doctor to determine whether the growth is slow and gradual or rapid, leading to dramatic changes. Once they know and understand the development and nature of the lesion, the choice of treatment for hemangiomas in infants considered. Let's look at the different treatment options available.
Steroids are the most important part of treating them. They help in slowing the progression of the lesion. However, steroids are not recommended for hemangioma involution. Systemic or oral steroids are given to patients to slow the growth of lesions in areas sensitive cosmetics. However, steroids may have a short-term side effects and should be closely monitored. Side effects include systemic infection, high blood pressure, growth disorders, immunosuppression, indigestion, etc. corticosteroid treatment can last for about a few weeks to a few months. Most of the time, corticosteroids are directly injected into the hemangioma, if small, local or skin.
Laser assist in removing and treating hemangiomas complete a ruptured blood vessel. One may have to do some laser treatments depends on the size, location and age of the patient. The flashlamp pulsed dye laser is generally used for superficial hemangiomas. However, it does not have the required effect on the thicker and hemangioma. Lasers are generally used to treat ulcerated hemangiomas, broken blood vessels (telangiectasia) and accelerate healing.
Many patients require surgery to remove a hemangioma fully. Surgical treatment option is required when the network inhibits the function of the body or changing life-threatening. It is also necessary to reconstruct the scars and for cosmetic treatments. We must consider all the pros and cons of surgery before deciding on surgery. Many times, children over the age of 4 are considered for surgical treatment.
There are certain medications that help in the treatment of tumors. These medications include Vincristine is given by injection into a central venous line once a week. It is used in cases where lesions obstruct vision or compromise the patient's airway. Propranol is another drug that helps in treating the same. It must be closely monitored because it can cause a drop in blood sugar levels, blood pressure and heart rate in children. The drug is administered orally 2 to 3 times a day. Ulceration of the hemangiomas can be treated by using becaplermin gel. It is very expensive and one may need to get a special letter from a doctor to help the insurance on this gel.
This is some information about treatment options in infants. It tends to grow very rapidly during the proliferative phase. This stage lasts for about 12 months after the coming stages of the break. During this time, there is very little change in the appearance of the same. Then comes the phase of involution in which the hemangioma begins to shrink in size. In about 50% of cases, the lesions disappeared at the age of 5 years and the majority of cases by 10 years. However, if the hemangioma grows in size which leads to complications and cosmetic problems, treatment options are considered.
It is all about choice for treating hemangiomas. Hope the above information is useful to you in understanding the drug for hemangioma. For further information, please do not hesitate to talk to your doctor who can give you more information and help.