Treatment of hemangiomas of the face with magnesium seeds

Various conservative and surgical procedures are available for the management of aggressive hemangiomas in infancy and childhood. One of them is magnesium seeding, a treatment modality developed more than 90 years ago but neglected for a long time. The technique consists of implanting 0.5- to 1-mm-thick wires of 99.8% pure magnesium into the tumor mass. During repeated courses oxidation of the metal results in fibrosis and cicatricial transformation of the tumor. Indications, technique and results are discussed.