Successful treatment of skeletal hemangioma and Kasabach-Merritt syndrome with aminocaproic acid. Is fibrinolysis "defensive"?

A young man presented with a disabling skeletal hemangioma. Fibrinolysis seemed to be a major component of coagulopathy and persisted after steroid therapy and irradiation of the lesions. Three weeks after therapy with epsilon-aminocaproic acid, there was dramatic alleviation of pain and eventual disappearance of laboratory evidence of fibrinolysis. Epsilon-aminocaproic acid therapy was discontinued. The patient remained free from symptoms and coagulopathy. There was evidence of new bone formation nine months later. Fibrinolysis may be a primary or sustaining feature of hemangioma. Epsilon-aminocaproic acid may be beneficial in the treatment of selected patients with these lesions.