Diagnostic Techniques for Infantile Subglottic Hemangiomas: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Pediatric Gastroenterology

Background:

• Infantile subglottic hemangioma (SGH) can cause airway obstruction.
• Beta-blockers have become a primary treatment for infantile hemangiomas (IHs) since 2008.
• Advances in endoscopic technology have enabled nonoperative diagnostic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current endoscopic diagnostic and monitoring practices for infantile SGH.
• To analyze these practices within the context of oral beta-blocker therapy.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of major databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, SCOPUS, Web of Science) up to August 2023.
• Inclusion of English-language studies published since 2008, focusing on the beta-blocker era.
• Screening of articles based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Main Results:

• Sixty studies describing 240 cases of infantile SGH were identified.
• Operative endoscopy (OE) was the primary diagnostic tool (73.3%), followed by office-based procedures (OBPs) with OE (23.3%) or OBP alone (3.3%).
• The use of OE alone for diagnosis decreased from 2008 to 2023, with no reported diagnostic endoscopy complications.

Conclusions:

• Operative endoscopy remains the gold standard for SGH diagnosis.
• There is a growing trend towards adopting office-based procedures for SGH diagnosis.
• Further research is necessary to establish optimal diagnostic and management protocols for infantile SGH.