Corticosteroid treatment of extensive hemangiomas: analysis of 22 cases in children.

During the past 16 years, 22 Thai infants with extensive hemangiomas which impaired bodily functions and were life-threatening, especially in Kasabach-Merrit Syndrome have been treated. The incidence of female-to-male ratio was 8:3, all of the hemangiomas appeared between birth and 3 months of age. Among the 22 infants, 11 (50%) had hemangiomas on the head and the neck, and 2 had laryngeal hemangiomas. Two cases of Kasabach-Merrit Syndrome, located at the shoulder and the thigh, were complicated with severe bleeding, infection and congestive heart failure. Ocular impairment, malocclusion, and cutaneous distortion were the most important functional problems. Three cases were associated with other congenital anomalies: intracranial angioma, Dandy Walker Syndrome and Klippel-Trenauncy Syndrome. Prednisone (2-4 mg/kg/d) was used in all cases with other symptomatic treatment. Antiplatelet aggregating and antithrombotic drugs were useful in Kasabach-Merrit Syndrome. Definite response was noted in 72.72 per cent of the patients, doubtful response in 23.32 per cent, and no response in 4.54 per cent which was better than in other reports. There were no serious side-effects of the corticosteroid treatments reported in our careful students.