Effect of early long-pulse pulsed dye laser treatment in infantile hemangiomas.
BACKGROUND
Despite several recent reports on the efficacy of long-pulse pulsed dye laser (LP-PDL) in treating infantile hemangiomas, controversy remains.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the beneficial effects of early therapeutic intervention with LP-PDL in superficial and mixed hemangiomas.


METHODS
Clinical data from 40 children with 47 hemangiomas in preproliferative or proliferative phase treated with LP-PDL in a Korean tertiary hospital over 5 years were analyzed retrospectively. Treatments were repeated at 1- to 4-week intervals until growth stopped.


RESULTS
Of the 47 hemangiomas, 32 were superficial, and 15 were mixed at presentation. Age was 9.6 ± 5.9 weeks at initiation of treatment and 18.0 ± 8.6 weeks at completion, and a positive linear correlation existed between the two. There were a mean of 4.6 ± 2.6 treatments per hemangioma, which was lower in superficial than in mixed hemangiomas. Improvement in color was documented in 84.4% of superficial and 86.7% of mixed hemangiomas, and 75.0% of superficial and 66.7% of mixed shrank. Hyperpigmentation occurred in two superficial hemangiomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Early intervention in hemangiomas using LP-PDL successfully prevents further growth and accelerates a transition to plateau or involution phase with minimal adverse events, achieving good cosmetic outcomes.
College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi, Korea.
Soon Hyo
SH
Kwon
Jae Woo
JW
Choi
Sang Young
SY
Byun
Bo Ri
BR
Kim
Kyoung Chan
KC
Park
Sang Woong
SW
Youn
Chang Hun
CH
Huh
Jung Im
JI
Na
D005260:Female; D018324:Hemangioma, Capillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D054025:Lasers, Dye / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009386:Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors