POTASSIUM THIOPHOSPHATE LASER TREATMENT OF GENITOURINARY HEMANGIOMA IN THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION

Multiple hemangiomas of the urogenital system are uncommon lesions tha t usually recur and can cause significant morbidity. Three pediatric p atients with urethral, bladder, penile, scrotal and vaginal hemangioma s underwent treatment of these lesions with the potassium thiophosphat e laser. All patients had multiple lesions and suffered from recurrent bleeding before treatment. Potassium thiophosphate photocoagulation w as delivered to the surface, urethral and vaginal lesions. Treatment-a ssociated bleeding did not occur in any case. Followup urogenital and cystoscopic examinations revealed complete obliteration or marked dimi nution in the size of the treated hemangiomas. All patients had a decr ease in the frequency and intensity of bleeding episodes and 2 were su bsequently without further episodes of bleeding. Potassium thiophospha te laser photoablation provides excellent results in the pediatric pop ulation and is preferred to more extensive surgical intervention.