ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the management of infant vascular tumors with Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP) and to evaluate the effect of drug combined with sclerotherapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From Feb. 2007 to Nov. 2014, 25 cases with KMP, who underwent drug therapy combined with sclerotherapy, were retrospectively studied. Oral corticosteroids (2 mg/kg per day) was used as the first-line therapy on all of the patients and intravenous vincristine (1.5 mg/m2 every week) was added when the platelet counts didn't recover obviously after 2-3 weeks. After the recovery of the platelet counts, the patients were admitted for sclerotherapy (average, 4.56 sessions per case) with 100% alcohol (1-3 ml per session), Lauromacrogol (1.25-5 ml per session) and betamethasone (0.25-1 ml per session). All the patients were followed up for 42 months ( range, 9 months to 6.5 years). Therapeutic outcomes were assessed by evaluating platelet counts, size of lesion, function of trunk and limb.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the 25 cases got obvious recovery in the platelet counts [average, (94.3 ± 18.5) x 10(9)/L] after drug therapy, of which 16 were treated by single oral corticosteroids for 4-7 weeks and 9 were treated by corticosteroids plus intravenous vincristine for 2-5 weeks. Meantime, 11 cases received platelet transfusions, of which 3 were coupled with gamma globulin intramuscularly. During the first admission, each of the 25 cases received 1-4 sessions of sclerotherapy (average, 2.6 sessions each case). One week after the sclerotherapy, the platelet counts returned to (167-312) x 10(9)/L (average, (258.5 ± 34.4) x 10(9)/L). The hemoglobin and blood coagulation function returned to normal within 1-5 weeks. Meanwhile the mental condition, appetite, body weight, sleeping were greatly improved. The size of the lesions decreased gradually after the combined therapy including 13 cases within 3-12 months and 13 cases within 13-36 months. Long term follow-up indicated that only 1 case need treatment for recurrent decrease of platelet counts, and all of the 25 cases kept the normal weight, height, immunity as well as the growing development.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Oral corticosteroids plus intravenous vincristine combined with sclerotherapy is a reliable management with high cure rate, short course and minor side-effect.</p>