SUPERFICIAL HEMANGIOMAS - ASSOCIATIONS AND MANAGEMENT

The vast majority of hemangiomas, the most common skin tumor of infanc y, are small lesions, easily recognized by their clinical features, an d left to involute spontaneously, Hemangiomas also grow in a number of visceral locations, although rarely, In addition, associated malforma tions are reported. We analyzed 175 cases of severe superficial hemang iomas that represented approximately 10% of all hemangiomas evaluated from 1980 to 1995, In this particular group of severe hemangiomas, wit h marked female preponderance (6.6:1), symptomatic visceral hemangioma s were present in 20 of 175 patients (11.4%) and associated malformati ons were present in 12 patients (6.9%), with both present in 4 patient s. We describe these associations and discuss which hemangiomas requir ed active treatment and which therapeutic modalities can be used, Prog ress has been made in the management of problem hemangiomas.