INCREASED RISK OF SYMPTOMATIC HEMANGIOMAS OF THE AIRWAY IN ASSOCIATION WITH CUTANEOUS HEMANGIOMAS IN A BEARD DISTRIBUTION

We evaluated the frequency of an association of cutaneous cervicofacia l hemangiomas in a ''beard'' distribution (including the preauricular areas, chin, anterior neck, and lower lip) with symptomatic hemangioma s of the upper airway or subglottic areas. Of 529 patients seen, 187 w ere pediatric patients with hemangiomas of the head and neck. Sixteen of the 187 patients (8.5%) had cutaneous lesions with a beard distribu tion, with a score of 4 or greater. Ten of these 16 (63%) patients had some degree of symptomatic airway involvement, and four of the 10 (40 %) required tracheotomy. The presence of cutaneous hemangiomas in a be ard distribution should alert the evaluating physician to the potentia l association of upper airway or subglottic involvement.