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Hemangioma
Is a hemangioma a tumor?
Hemangiomas are formed by the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells during embryonic development and are commonly seen in congenital benign tumors or vascular malformations of the skin and soft tissues, mostly observed at birth or shortly after birth. The residual embryonic vascular endothelial cells, active endothelial-like embryonic buds invade adjacent tissues, forming endothelial-like cords, which after canalization connect with existing blood vessels to form hemangiomas. The blood vessels within the tumor form a separate system, not connected to surrounding blood vessels. Hemangiomas can occur throughout the body; those occurring in the oral and maxillofacial regions account for 60% of all hemangiomas, followed by 25% in the trunk and 15% in the limbs. Therefore, some hemangiomas are congenital benign tumors, while others are caused by vascular malformations.
Is a two-centimeter liver hemangioma serious?
When the volume of a liver hemangioma is two centimeters, the condition is relatively mild and usually does not present any obvious symptoms, thus requiring no special treatment. Of course, it is advisable to avoid hard-to-digest foods and spicy foods to reduce the burden on the liver, which can help control the condition. However, for patients with larger liver hemangiomas, there is often a risk of rupture and bleeding, making the condition more severe and sometimes leading to death due to hemorrhagic shock. Therefore, for patients with larger liver hemangiomas, it is advisable to opt for surgical treatment as early as possible, as surgery is the only way to completely treat the condition.
Are hemangiomas dangerous?
The hazards of hemangiomas include: First, they impact appearance. Most hemangiomas are located on the head and face, severely affecting one's appearance and causing great physical and emotional harm to both the patient and their family. Second, they affect function by invading surrounding tissues and impairing the normal functions of nearby organs. Third, the tumor can bleed, and severe bleeding may lead to hemorrhagic shock. Fourth, abnormal development, as the tumor compresses surrounding normal tissues, can lead to developmental disorders, affecting bone growth and causing severe deformities in limbs. Fifth, ulceration can occur when the hemangioma grows too quickly or due to friction, leading to ulcers and infections, and potentially malignant changes. Therefore, hemangiomas can be quite dangerous.
Is a hemangioma in the nose dangerous?
Nasal hemangiomas are primarily caused by congenital or acquired vascular malformations. The risks associated with them include the following points: First, the vessel walls of hemangiomas are imperfect and prone to bleeding. Excessive bleeding can lead to hemorrhagic shock. Furthermore, significant bleeding can cause blood to flow back into the respiratory tract, leading to coughing fits and even the risk of suffocation. Second, although hemangiomas are benign in nature, a few of them possess the biological characteristic of expansive growth. This characteristic can damage surrounding tissues, such as destroying the wall of the vessel and the structure of the tumor, thereby exhibiting malignant-like biological behavior. Therefore, active treatment is necessary.
Which department should a baby with hemangioma see?
The department for treating infantile hemangioma should be determined based on the location, size, and severity of the hemangioma. If the hemangioma is located on the surface of the body, it is generally appropriate to consult the department of plastic and cosmetic surgery. If the hemangioma is on the face, the oral medicine department should be visited. If the hemangioma is around the eyes, then the ophthalmology department should be consulted. If the hemangioma is internal or if there are other concurrent tumorous diseases, it may be necessary to visit the pediatric hematology-oncology department or the corresponding surgical department. This would be the most appropriate and correct choice.
Can hemangiomas resolve on their own?
Infantile hemangiomas may regress spontaneously in some cases, so for lesions that are relatively stable in growth, temporary observation without treatment is recommended, especially avoiding surgical treatment. Radiation therapy, which may cause secondary developmental deformities, is not recommended. Medicinal treatment mainly involves the use of steroids and interferons. Steroid therapy is the most common drug treatment for hemangiomas, with the first reports of using steroids for hemangiomas appearing in the mid to late 1960s. Since then, prednisone and prednisolone have been considered first-line drugs for treating life-threatening or vision-threatening hemangiomas. The effective rate of steroid treatment for hemangiomas varies from 30% to 90%. Therefore, we suggest that since infantile hemangiomas can regress on their own, lesions that are stable in growth can be temporarily observed.
What department should I go to for an eye hemangioma?
Hemangiomas of the eye generally require registration with the ophthalmology department first, but for some special parts of the eye, hemangiomas may affect the brain, so for more complex or difficult-to-diagnose eye hemangiomas, one can also register with the neurosurgery department for further diagnosis or assessment of the condition. Ophthalmology can treat eye hemangiomas through traditional surgical removal, as well as some methods like laser, cryotherapy, and liquid nitrogen, with relatively ideal effects. For deep or severe hemangiomas, a thorough preoperative assessment should be conducted, and then an appropriate treatment method should be chosen for surgical treatment, which generally yields a satisfactory outcome.