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HOW ARE THE HAEMANGIOMAS
TREATED PREVIOUSLY?
In the past, the haemangiomas were treated with steroids, drug
injections into lesions, LASER, surgery, and radiotherapy as well.
The most common drugs which had been used were steroids. Sixty
percent of the haemangiomas had responded to steroids and these
drugs were being used for a long time and at high doses. When the
drug was stopped, the lesions grew in about half of them. Especially
in prematures and in early infancy, the late effects of steroids in brain
function were of much concern so treatment was started in only
selected cases.
In the past, the haemangiomas at the eyelids leading to vision prob-
lems, at the lip or mouth leading to feeding problems, at vocal cords
leading to breathing difficulty, in the ear canal leading to hearing
problems, at perineal region leading to infection with touch of gaita
and urine, and at any site with bleeding and infection were named as
‘alarming haemangiomas’ and have indication for treatment.
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