title: Laser photocoagulation of superficial proliferating hemangiomas.
abstract: Hemangiomas present at, or soon after birth, proliferate and eventually involute. In spite of this, children may suffer severe psychosocial trauma during the formative years of their lives, and, in a proportion of cases, a cosmetically unacceptable result is left at the end of involution. Since flashlamp pumped dye lasers have been shown to selectively destroy ectatic dermal vascular tissue through intact epidermis, 6 patients with very early superficial cutaneous hemangiomas were treated. All treated areas resolved completely and treatment was completed by 12 months. No complications were encountered apart from mild, temporary post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation which was seen in one patient. This, however, resolved completely within 3 months of treatment. Flashlamp pumped dye lasers are thus able to effect complete resolution of very superficial proliferating cutaneous hemangiomas in neonates and infants without the risk of scarring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waner
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Suen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dinehart
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Mallory
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D012535:Scalp / Q000601:surgery; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013909:Thorax