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Pyogenic granuloma in ten children treated with topical imiquimod
Sara M Tritton1, Saxon Smith, Li-Chuen Wong
1Dermatology Department Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. stritton@med.usyd.edu.au
Insights
Topical 5% Imiquimod cream offers a safe and effective noninvasive treatment for pyogenic granuloma in children. This approach avoids general anesthesia and potential surgical complications, showing promising results with minimal side effects.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Traditional pyogenic granuloma treatment is procedural, often requiring general anesthesia in children.
- Surgical interventions carry risks of scarring, dyspigmentation, and recurrence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical 5% Imiquimod as a noninvasive treatment for pyogenic granuloma in pediatric patients.
- To present a case series of children treated with topical Imiquimod for facial pyogenic granuloma.
Main Methods:
- A series of 10 children with facial pyogenic granuloma were treated with topical 5% Imiquimod cream.
- Treatment application frequency and duration were individualized based on clinical response.
- Outcomes were assessed over an average follow-up period of 9.6 months.
Main Results:
- The majority of children experienced satisfactory clinical outcomes.
- Three patients achieved complete disease resolution; five showed improvement with acceptable residual lesions.
- No systemic side effects were observed, and no recurrence was noted during follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Topical 5% Imiquimod is a safe, cost-effective, and clinically effective alternative for managing pyogenic granuloma in children.
- This noninvasive approach offers advantages over traditional procedural treatments, reducing risks associated with surgery and anesthesia.
Abstract:
Traditional therapy for pyogenic granuloma is procedural. In young children it can require a general anesthetic and may be complicated by scarring, dyspigmentation, and recurrence. We report a series of 10 children, highlighting the safety and efficacy of topical 5% Imiquimod as an alternative noninvasive treatment of pyogenic granuloma. Ten children with a mean age of 2.5 years and 10.8 week duration of facial pyogenic granuloma lesion were recruited. Treatment regime with topical Imiquimod 5% cream varied in frequency of application and duration according to clinical response. Clinical outcome in the majority of the children was satisfactory. Three had no evidence of disease and five had small hypopigmented or erythematous lesions which were continuing to improve and more acceptable then a surgical scar. One child required a prolonged treatment course, and one progressed to surgical excision when prolonged treatment failed. There were no systemic side effects noted in any of the patients and no recurrence noted with resolution sustained over an average of 9.6 months of follow-up. Imiquimod is a safe, cost-effective, and clinically effective management option in the treatment of pyogenic granuloma.
