Infantile hemangioma: pulsed dye laser versus surgical therapy

Abstract

Hemangioma is a mesenchymal benign tumor formed by blood vessels. Anomalies affect up to 10% of children and they are more common in females than in males. The aim of our study was to compare the treatment efficacy, namely the curative effect and adverse events, such as loss of pigment and appearance of scarring, between classical surgery techniques and laser techniques. For that reason a group of 223 patients with hemangioma was retrospectively reviewed. For treatment, a pulsed dye laser (PDL) (Rhodamine G, wavelength 595 nm, pulsewidth between 0.45 and 40 ms, spot diameter 7 mm, energy density 9–11 J cm−2) was used and the results were compared with a control group treated with classical surgical therapy under general anesthesia. The curative effects, mainly number of sessions, appearance of scars, loss of pigment, and relapses were evaluated as a marker of successful treatment. From the results it was evident that the therapeutic effects of both systems are similar. The PDL was successful in all cases. The surgery patients had four relapses. Classical surgery is directly connected with the presence of scars, but the system is safe for larger hemangiomas. It was confirmed that the PDL had the optimal curative effect without scars for small lesions (approximately 10 mm). Surgical treatment under general anesthesia is better for large hemangiomas; the disadvantage is the presence of scars.