Hemangioma
For patient information click here
Hemangioma | |
![]() | |
---|---|
A capillary haemangioma | |
ICD-10 | D18.0 |
ICD-9 | 228.0 |
ICD-O: | Template:ICDO |
DiseasesDB | 30033 |
MedlinePlus | 001459 |
eMedicine | orthoped/499 |
MeSH | D006391 |
WikiDoc Resources for Hemangioma |
Articles |
---|
Most recent articles on Hemangioma |
Media |
Evidence Based Medicine |
Clinical Trials |
Ongoing Trials on Hemangioma at Clinical Trials.gov Clinical Trials on Hemangioma at Google
|
Guidelines / Policies / Govt |
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Hemangioma
|
Books |
News |
Commentary |
Definitions |
Patient Resources / Community |
Patient resources on Hemangioma Discussion groups on Hemangioma Patient Handouts on Hemangioma Directions to Hospitals Treating Hemangioma Risk calculators and risk factors for Hemangioma
|
Healthcare Provider Resources |
Causes & Risk Factors for Hemangioma |
Continuing Medical Education (CME) |
International |
|
Business |
Experimental / Informatics |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
Overview
A hemangioma is an abnormal build up of blood vessels in the skin or internal organs.[1] It is also described as a congenital benign skin lesion consisting of dense, usually elevated masses of dilated blood vessels".[2] In most cases, hemangiomas will disappear over time. They are formed either during gestation or appear during the first few weeks of life and may present as a birthmark. Hemangiomas occur in approximately ten percent of Caucasians, and are less prevalent in other races. Females are three to five times more likely to have hemangiomas than males. Hemangiomas can be vivid superficial lesions, known as capillary hemangiomas (often referred to as "Strawberry Marks"), or they can be deep bluish swelling, known as cavernous hemangiomas. Sometimes they can be both superficial and deep. Approximately eighty percent are located on the face and neck, with the next most prevalent location being the liver. Although hemangiomas are benign, some serious complications can occur.
Complications
The vast majority of hemangiomas are not associated with complications. Hemangiomas may break down on the surface to form ulcers. If the ulceration is deep, significant bleeding may rarely occur. Ulceration on the diaper area can be painful and problematic.
If an hemangioma develops in the larynx, breathing can be compromised. A hemangioma can grow and block one of the eyes, causing an occlusion amblyopia. Very rarely, extremely large hemangiomas can cause high-output heart failure due to the amount of blood that must be pumped to excess blood vessels. Lesions adjacent to bone can also cause erosion of the bone.
The most frequent complaints about hemangiomas, however, stem from psychosocial complications: the condition can affect a person's appearance and can provoke attention and malicious reactions from others. Particular problems occur if the lip or nose is involved, as distortion can be difficult to treat surgically.
Treatment
Most hemangiomas disappear without treatment, leaving minimal or no visible marks. Large hemangiomas can leave visible skin changes secondary to severe stretching of the skin or damage to surface texture. When hemangiomas interfere with vision, breathing, or threaten significant cosmetic injury, they are usually treated. The mainstay of treatment is oral corticosteroid therapy. Other drugs such as interferon or vincristine are sometimes considered if the corticosteroids do not work. If this fails, surgical removal often becomes necessary. Blockage of the airway will often require a tracheostomy to be performed (insertion of an external airway through the front of the neck into the trachea below the level of the obstruction). Smaller raised lesions are sometimes treated with injection of corticosteroid directly into the lesion. Pulsed dye laser can be useful for very early flat lesions if they appear in cosmetically significant areas or for those lesions that leave residual surface blood vessels in the case of incomplete resolution.
Ulceration will usually heal with topical medication and special dressings under medical supervision. Sometimes pulsed dye laser can be used to accelerate healing.
Prognosis
Hemangiomas go through three stages of development and decay:
- In the proliferation stage, a hemangioma grows very quickly. This stage can last up to twelve months.
- In the rest stage, there is very little change in a hemangioma's appearance. This usually lasts until the infant is one to two years old.
- In the involution phase, a hemangioma finally begins to diminish in size. Fifty percent of lesions will have disappeared by age five with the vast majority gone by puberty.
External links
- [3] - from NIH
- [4] - Frequently Asked Questions
- Hepatic Hemangioma
- Hemangioma International Treatment Center
References
- ↑ "Hemangioma". Text " authro [Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.]" ignored (help)
- ↑ The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary. "KMLE American Heritage Medical Dictionary definition of hemangioma".