Capillary hemangioma


A capillary hemangioma is the most common variant of hemangioma which appears as a raised, red, lumpy area of flesh anywhere on the body, though 83% occur on the head or neck area. These marks occur in about 10% of all births, and usually appear between one and four weeks after birth. It may grow rapidly, before stopping and slowly fading. Some are gone by the age of 2, about 60% by 5 years, and 90–95% by 9 years. Capillary hemangioma is a vascular anomaly.
Capillary hemangiomas occur 5 times more often in female infants than in males, and mostly in Caucasian populations. Additionally, low birthweight infants have a 26% chance of developing a hemangioma.
It is the most common tumor of orbit and periorbital areas in childhood. It may occur in the skin, subcutaneous tissues and mucous membranes of oral cavities and lips as well as in the liver, spleen and kidneys. While this birthmark may be alarming in appearance, physicians generally counsel that it be left to disappear on its own, unless it is in the way of vision or blocking the nostrils.

Diagnosis

Liver

Capillary haemangiomas in the liver are found in 16% of all liver haemangiomas. Its sizes are usually less than 1 to 2 cm in diameter. It may show a "flash-filling" phenomenon in which there is the fast enhancement of the contrast material in the lesion instead of slow, centripetal, nodular filling of the lesions in usual haemangiomas. On CT and MRI, it shows rapid filling during arterial phase, with contrast retention in venous and delayed phases.

Treatment

Oral propranolol appears to be the most effective treatment for reducing the size of capillary hemangiomas in children and is more effective than placebo, observation without intervention, or oral corticosteroids.