Giant hemangioma in the newborn and infant. Complications and management.

Most hemangiomas do not cause major problems but they may be functionally or emotionally unacceptable. In uncomplicated cases spontaneous involution is frequent and treatment consists of expectant care. We report three newborn babies and two infants with giant hemangiomas in whom acute life-threatening complications required immediate treatment. Complications included cardiac failure, hemorrhage, platelet trapping, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Modes of therapy employed were surgical excision, steroids, embolization, radiotherapy, intermittent pneumatic compression (Jobst), and continuous compression treatment (Jobst). Our five cases show that several modalities of treatment may be necessary to control the life-threatening complications of giant hemangiomas.