Objectives: "Infantile Hemangiomas: Early Treatment"

1: Understanding the natural course and sequelae of infantile hemangiomas.
2: Understanding treatments including topical and systemic pharmaceutical medications, as well as pulsed dye laser treatment.
3: Emphasizing the importance of education and awareness campaigns among healthcare professionals and the public for early intervention.

Introduction: Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) affect approximately 5-12% of infants, making them the most common benign tumors of childhood. The approach of "leave it alone – it will go away" is no longer widely accepted as a management option for most IHs. Early treatment with topical timolol or oral propranolol alongside pulsed dye laser (PDL) therapy has been shown to reduce sequelae and increase early cure rates.

Materials / method: I conducted a retrospective analysis of cases of IH treated with topical timolol, systemic propranolol, and PDL based on risk level. I aimed to evaluate the optimal timing and safety of treatment.

Results: Through the progression of IHs, a window of opportunity for treatment becomes apparent. The optimal time for early intervention is before the IHs growth curve steepens, typically before 3 months of age. Further analysis indicates that growth is most rapid between 5 and 7 weeks after birth, suggesting treatment within the first month is most effective. Additionally, combining PDL with topical timolol or systemic propranolol proves more effective in preventing skin sequelae.

Conclusion: Healthcare providers should no longer adopt a 'wait and see' approach; early treatment is imperative for IHs. The significance of early intervention for IHs must be emphasized not only to dermatologists but also to other medical professionals and parents of affected children.

Declaraciones

¿Ha recibido algún tipo de financiamiento para realizar su investigación sobre esta temática?
No

¿Ha recibido algún pago, honorario u otra compensación por su trabajo acerca de esta investigación?
No

¿Tiene vínculos financieros con alguna entidad que podría llegar a competir estrechamente con los medicamentos, materiales o instrumentos tratados en su investigación?
No

¿Posee o ha solicitado una patente relacionada a los materiales, productos o instrumentos utilizados en su investigación?
No

Este trabajo no cuenta con el apoyo de ningún financiamiento directo o indirecto. El autor asume plena responsabilidad sobre el mismo.