Effect of beta-blocking eye drops on conjunctival hemangioma in newborns

Abstract

We report the observation of a newborn, one-week-old, who was referred tous for a reddish tumoral neoformation of the right eye observed at birth. The pregnancy and vaginal delivery were uneventful. The ophthalmological examination had objectified a tumor of vascular appearance, occupying the upper conjunctival sac, dislocating the upper eyelid and completely occluding the right eyeball (A). Both eyes are normal. The biological assessment as well as the abdominal ultrasound were unremarkable. The diagnosis of isolated conjunctival hemangioma was retained after eliminating the obstetric trauma, the orbital inflammatory syndrome and the colobomatous cyst. After a cardiac evaluation, which was normal, the patient was put on beta-blocker eye drops in the right eye. After one week, we noticed a reduction of half of the volume of the hemangioma (B) and complete involution of the hemangioblastoma with release of the visual axis was obtained on the twentieth day from the start of treatment (C). This baby was maintained under the same treatment for two months without recurrence and without side effects. The first-line treatment for hemangiomas in any location is beta-blockers. Their pharmaceutical form in eye gdrops seems as effective as the general form with fewer side effects in the treatment of the conjunctivo-palpebral localization of hemangiomas.