Related Experiment Videos
Laser treatment of complicated head and neck hemangiomas in infancy
C J Chang1, B M Achauer, V M Vander Kam
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan, ROC.
Insights
Laser therapy effectively treats symptomatic head and neck hemangiomas in infants, avoiding significant morbidity. This treatment leads to rapid healing and symptom relief, with excellent outcomes in most cases.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Surgery
Background:
- Head and neck hemangiomas in infants can cause significant morbidity, including obstruction, bleeding, and pain.
- Timely intervention is crucial for managing these symptomatic lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of laser therapy for symptomatic head and neck hemangiomas in pediatric patients.
- To assess the safety and complication rates associated with various laser treatments.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study reviewed 73 infants treated for symptomatic head and neck hemangiomas.
- Patients received treatment with various lasers, including CO2, Argon, Nd:YAG, KTP, and Flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye lasers (FPPDL).
- Outcomes were assessed based on lesion healing, symptom relief, and cosmetic results graded from Poor to Excellent.
Main Results:
- All treated hemangiomas healed within 7 to 21 days (mean, 12 days).
- Symptoms were completely resolved in 7 days to 24 months (mean, 9 months).
- No postoperative complications like bleeding or infection were observed; reconstructive surgery successfully addressed texture changes in 7 patients.
Conclusions:
- Laser therapy is an efficient and safe treatment for symptomatic infantile hemangiomas of the head and neck.
- The treatment leads to significant symptom relief and favorable cosmetic outcomes, comparable to spontaneous involution.
- Laser therapy can effectively prevent the morbidity associated with complicated head and neck hemangiomas in infants.
Abstract:
A retrospective study of 73 patients treated for symptomatic hemangiomas of head and neck from May 1981 to April 1994 was conducted. Fifty-three females and 20 males ranging in age from 1 day of life to 11 years with the average age being 19 months were reviewed in the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. All patients were referred by pediatricians or family practitioners for evaluation and possible laser treatment. The lesions reported were particular troublesome because of obstruction of orifice(s), repeated ulceration, bleeding, subsequent pain or life threatening. Various lasers have been used for these patients including: CO2 laser [10], Argon laser/with intralesional steroid injection [33/14], Nd YAG laser [21], KTP laser [1] and Flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser (FPPDL)[8]. All treated lesions healed in 7 to 21 days (mean, 12 days). Complications associated with laser treatment, such as postoperative bleeding and infection were not seen. The symptoms were totally relieved from 7 days to 24 months (mean, 9 months). Combined with reconstructive surgery, the texture changes (7 patients) after laser treatment were corrected successfully. The outcome was graded by reduction in volume, improvement of color and texture of hemangioma as follow: Grade 1 - Poor (0-25%); Grade II - Fair (26-50%); Grade III - Good (51-75%); Grade IV - Excellent (76-100%). The final results of the patients are similar to what may be expected after spontaneous involution of a complicated hemangioma. In summary, complicated hemangiomas of head and neck in infancy have significant morbidity that can be efficiently avoided with the use of laser therapy.