title: Brachial plexus paralysis due to giant cavernous hemangioma with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome: successful management with interferon alpha.
abstract: Giant hemangiomas are rare in newborn babies and may cause some life-threatening complications such as congestive heart failure and coagulopathies including severe thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and bleeding such as Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. We have presented here one infant case with a right lower brachial plexus paralysis due to giant hemangioma treated successfully with interferon alpha and have discussed the treatment. This is the first case of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome associated with a right lower brachial plexus paralysis treated with interferon in the literature to our knowledge. The administration of interferon-alpha might be indicated as a therapy for severe, life-threatening and giant hemangiomas such as Kasabach-Merritt syndrome, especially when there is resistance to steroid. However, more extensive data and new patients are needed to clarify this issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey. pekererdal@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peker
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kirimi
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.forename: Ahmet F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Oner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins