Large Doses of Propranolol for the Treatment of Infantile Cephalic and Facial Hemangiomas: A Clinical Report of 38 Cases.

OBJECTIVE

Infantile cephalic and facial hemangiomas (IHs) are common and histologically benign vascular lesions in infants. This study investigates the clinical effect of using large doses of Propranolol for the treatment of IHs.

STUDY

DESIGN

This study contains 38 patients with IHs. All patients received general screening before the treatment. The dosage of Propranolol was increased over the course of treatment, which initiated three days. 1mg/kg on the first day, then increased by 0.5 mg/kg each day. The daily dose was divided into two smaller doses, administered every 12 hours, half an hour after feeding. Patients were hospitalized for six days. In the absence of side effects, treatment was continued at home and patients were reevaluated every month. Generally, one course of treatment lasted six months.

RESULTS

With the treatment, the entire group had significant improvement. 6 of them had excellent results. 22 had a good response with considerable lesion reduction. Side effects were limited during or after the treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Large doses of oral Propranolol to treat severe IHs patients had great clinical results. The treatment can shorten the natural course of IHs, making it a possible first choice for treatment.