What Is A Hemangioma?
A Hemangioma is an unusual build up of blood vessels in the skin or the internal organs. They either appear in the form of a birthmark or during gestation. They are usually present and observed within two or three months of infancy. Almost 10% of infants suffer from this disease and they are more common in females than males. Hemangiomas can be vivid superficial lesions or appear as a bluish swelling, if present under the skin. The lesions can be both superficial and deep. About 80% of these marks appear on the face, neck and around the liver area.
Signs, Symptoms and Treatment Options
Sometimes, hemangiomas disappear without any treatment, leaving minimal marks. But, some large hemangioma might involve prominent skin texture changes or damage. The problem intensifies when it interferes with vision or breathing. Superficial hemangiomas sometimes are not treated and are allowed to disappear with the passage of time. However, in certain severe cases, laser therapy can be used to remove the elevation of small blood vessels. Cavernous hemangiomas that affect the vision are treated with steroid injections or lasers, to reduce the size of the lesions and allow the normal development of vision.
By far, Cutaneous Hemagiomas are the most common in infants and children. Intralesional bleomycin (or BLM injection), is the latest treatment development. This injection produces extensive destruction and spontaneous resolution of the hemangiomas.
New Treatment Developments
Corticosteroid therapy is one of the main treatments. It is an anti-inflammatory medication that can be given orally or locally injected. But, it can include a number of risks, including poor growth in children and elevated blood sugar if administered orally. It is often suggested for long-term use. If corticosteroids do not work, other drugs like interferon or vincristine are considered. Tracheotomy, often known as tracheostomy, is also used in the treatment of hemangioma on the neck. In this surgery, a direct airway is opened through an incision in the trachea. It is generally performed if a blockage of the airway occurs.
Recently, with the development of laser technology, incidences of hemangioma have been reduced significantly. Lasers emitting yellow light damage the vessels in the hemangioma, without damaging the skin. A dye laser is a laser treatment that incorporates an organic dye as a lasing medium, generally as a liquid solution. The dyes have wide bandwidth that makes them suitable for tunable and pulsed lasers.
Many physicians use a combination of steroids, lasers and injections to cure hemangiomas.