Haemangioma

What Is Haemangioma?

A Hemangioma is a bright red birthmark that appears at birth or in the first or second week of life. It looks like a rubbery bump and is made up of extra blood vessels in the skin.

Hemangiomas can appear anywhere on the body, although they're most common on the face, scalp, chest, and back.

Who Does Haemangioma Affect?

Hemangiomas occur more often in babies who are female, white and born prematurely.

What Causes Haemangioma?

A Hemangioma is a group of extra blood vessels that form a thick clump. It's unclear what causes the vessels to clump together.

Types of Haemangioma

Hemangiomas may occur anywhere on the body. Some children may have more than one. There are three main types:

Superficial (on the surface of the skin)

These look flat at first and then become bright red with a raised, uneven surface.

Deep (under the skin)

These appear as a bluish-purple swelling with a smooth surface.

Mixed

These Hemangiomas have both superficial and deep components.

Symptoms of Haemangioma

Hemangiomas usually do not develop symptoms during or after their creation, depending on their location and size. However, if they grow large or in a sensitive area, or if there are several Hemangiomas, they may produce symptoms.

Skin Hemangiomas commonly show as tiny red lumps or scrapes. They resemble burgundy birthmarks as they mature. Because of their rich red colour, skin Hemangiomas are sometimes known as strawberry Hemangiomas.

In the internal organs

Hemangiomas in the body cause symptoms that are specific to the affected organ.

A Hemangioma affecting the gastrointestinal tract or liver, for example, may cause symptoms such as:

• nausea
• vomiting
• abdominal discomfort
• loss of appetite
• a feeling of fullness in the abdomen

How is Haemangioma Diagnosed

Visual inspection during a physical examination by a doctor is frequently used to make the diagnosis. During a physical examination, your doctor might make a visual diagnosis.

Organ Hemangiomas can only be seen via an imaging examination, such as:

• an ultrasound
• MRI
• CT scan

In some circumstances, they’re usually detected by chance.

Surgical Treatment for Haemangioma

A single, small Hemangioma usually requires no treatment. It’ll likely go away on its own. However, some cases may require treatment, such as skin Hemangiomas that develop ulcerations or sores or are in specific areas on the face such as the lip.

Treatment options include:

• Beta-blocker Drugs.
• Gel - containing the drug timolol may be applied to the affected skin (in small, superficial Hemangiomas),
• Corticosteroid Medications - Corticosteroids may be injected into a Hemangioma to reduce its growth and to stop inflammation.
• Laser Surgery - Sometimes laser surgery can remove a small, thin Hemangioma or treat sores on a Hemangioma.

For Haemangioma on the organs

If Hemangiomas get too large or cause pain, they may need to be treated.

These Hemangiomas can be treated in a variety of ways, including:

• Surgical removal of the Hemangioma
• Surgical removal of the damaged organ or damaged area
• In Hemangiomas of the liver, tying off of the main blood supply to the Hemangioma may be an option

How long does it take to recover from Haemangioma?

The Hemangioma begins to shrink and fade in colour around the age of one year. This will happen in the next one to ten years. Many go away completely during this time.