ABSTRACT
Background: Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are benign vascular tumors commonly observed in children. The pathogenesis of hemangiomas is complex and poorly understood. IH occur most commonly on the head and neck. There are different classification of them according to the depth, number, distribution and locations. A multidisciplinary approach is needed for the diagnosis and treatment of hemangiomas because it is easy to misdiagnose or decide on a wrong treatment in the existing single-treatment system. Objective: In this retrospective study between 2018 and 2022 we provided an overview of the hemangiomas located in the head and neck in 232 patients, and the different treatment approaches used. Results: Of the 232 patients 60.3 % were females and 38.7% males. The youngest age was 10 weeks old and the oldest age who underwent treatment was 79 years old. The most common lesion sites were the mid-cheek, the upper lip and the upper eyelid. 104 patients (53.4 %) underwent surgical intervention due to the location of the lesion, size and functional reasons. Meanwhile 128 patients (46.6 %) were observed and treated with propranolol and pulsed dye laser. Conclusion: Hemangiomas are generally benign tumors. Hemangiomas present a number of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges; thus, early diagnosis by a specialist clinic is key in preventing associated morbidity with these vascular tumors.
ABSTRACT
Vascular malformations (Vascular Malformation) of soft tissue are a consequence of abnormal development of vascular elements during embryogenesis. They are named after the vessel responsible. Their presence at birth raises the hypothesis of an intrauterine etiology of Vascular Malformation, but the influence of other factors may play an important role in their appearance, localization, and size. The literature suggests that treatment of Vascular Malformation is rarely surgical. Surgery is applied in cases of voluminous malformations and in cases of possible hemorrhagic complications. Meanwhile, patient outcomes have improved with new discoveries in laser technology for the treatment of Vascular Malformation, especially those of capillaries and the results are, in most of the cases, quite satisfactory and without significant complications. After institutional review board approval, we collected and analyzed the medical records of 90 patients diagnosed with Vascular Malformation, between January 2015 and December 2019 at the service of Burns and Plastic Surgery, "Mother Teresa" University Hospital Center of Tirana, Albania and from another private clinic in Tirana. Data were collected from the medical records on patient's charts. The aim of this study is to analyze different treatment modalities and the outcomes achieved for each group.
