The steroid benefit in treating complicated haemangioma

ABSTRACTThe clinical study included 30 patients with complicated cutaneous haemangioma (ulceration, bleeding, obstruction of anatomical orifices, and interference with function or movement). The patients were studied regarding the age group, sex, site of lesion, size of lesion, and the percentage of regression after treatment with steroid.The age ranged from three months to six years, there were 20 female patients and 10 male patients. We used local injection of diluted triamcinolone 4 mg with 5 ml. 0.9% NACI (normal saline), injected through 23-guage syringe under local or general anaesthesia every two weeks for six to eight sessions depending on the severity of the case, followed by a local pressure dressing. We measured the size of the lesion before each session and recorded the regression of the lesion. The patients were followed up for two years. Haemangioma commonly presents in infants and children, most commonly in females, especially in the head and neck and are usually of a small size. It regresses if the treatment is started earlier.

Pulmonary thromboembolism in Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber syndrome – should all cases be anticoagulated?

Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber syndrome (KTWS) is a congenital disorder characterized by a triad of varicose veins and venous malformation involving one or more extremities, cutaneous haemangioma, and hypertrophy of soft tissue and bone. The syndrome is rare and it usually presents as varicose veins or cutaneous naevi. We report a patient with KTWS who developed superficial thrombophlebitis in her varicose veins and died from a pulmonary embolism. To optimize management it is important to recognize the syndrome, and the patient should ideally be referred for multidisciplinary vascular care and all such patients should be anticoagulated in the long term.