Hemangioma in a newborn is a fairly common phenomenon that does not require special medical treatment and disappears after a certain time on its own, without the intervention of parents and specialists. If this does not happen, it is necessary to show the child to the family doctor.
What is a hemangioma?
Hemangioma is benign (not cancerous) - a tumor consisting of blood vessels. There are many types of this disease, and they can occur throughout the body, including the skin, muscles, bones, and internal organs.
Most hemangiomas occur on or under the surface of the skin. They often develop on the face and neck and can vary greatly in color, shape, and size.
Because hemangiomas rarely become cancerous, most of them do not require any treatment. However, some types can be disfiguring, and many people seek medical attention for cosmetic reasons. In most cases, the treatment of hemangioma does not involve surgery. Cases that may require surgery include tumors that are deep in the muscles or bones, or tumors on the skin that cause problems with vision, breathing, orfood.
Causes of hemangioma in newborns
Science does not have a definite answer about why a hemangioma occurs. It is generally accepted that the occurrence of this benign tumor is associated with a number of vascular disorders in the fetus during fetal development.
The formation of vascular tissue begins at the fifth week of pregnancy. After the formation of vessels, some immature (undeveloped) vascular tissue remains, which disappears over time.
This process is physiologically common and normal. But, with a developmental disorder, the tissues do not disappear, as expected, but, on the contrary, begin to grow rapidly. Thus, the formation of a hemangioma occurs.
Lack of oxygen or hypoxia triggers the growth of a vascular tumor. That is why hemangioma is found in newborns or manifests itself in the first weeks of life. Moreover, hemangioma can be localized in different places both on the surface of the skin and inside the organs.
In the course of statistical studies, it was found that hemangioma occurs more often in girls than in boys. This pattern has not yet been scientifically explained.
Depending on the causes, there are several types of hemangiomas in newborns.
Capillary hemangioma
It is a neoplasm of bloody color, formed on the skin. But, in rare cases, it is also found on the internal organs.
Because of this disease suffersliver and spine. Often occurs in infants. The disease is not life-threatening. Hemangiomas do not metastasize, unlike malignant tumors. Capillary hemangioma is considered a tumor, but benign.
It turns out capillary hemangioma in newborns from altered blood vessels. It does not require treatment and disappears on its own suddenly, but pigmentation remains on the skin. Roughness appears at the site of the hemangioma. Skin color is red or purple. In newborns, it occurs immediately after birth, but becomes larger over time. By the age of five, she may disappear on her own.
Hemangioma often appears right on the face. The worst option is considered if the formation has arisen around the eye. The disease is rare and occurs in two percent of the population. Mostly women are ill, men rarely.
Classification:
- Segmental. Huge size and fast growing.
- Localized. Affects one thing on the body and is small.
- It happens superficial, forming only on the skin, red.
- Deep. Be in skin cells.
- Mixed. Formed both on the surface of the skin and inside.
Reasons for this kind
The main causes of hemangioma in newborns include:
- Disturbance in fetal development - capillaries divide incorrectly.
- Lack of oxygen in the skin.
- Heredity, passed down from relatives who have hemangiomas.
At risk are people with white skin. Women in labor at an older age have a chancegive birth to a child with hemangioma. Also, babies who were born with low birth weight, premature babies, have a chance of this disease.
Treatment
Treatment should be started if the disease itself has not gone away by the age of ten. The neoplasm is very large and does not stop growing. Blood poisoning occurs. Interferes with proper work in the body or simply interferes aesthetically.
Complications
In most cases, hemangioma is not dangerous. But there are unpleasant sensations if it starts to grow.
Cavernous hemangioma
Cavernous hemangioma in newborns is a disease in which blood vessels grow, cells accumulate, and a tumor forms. It is considered dangerous because blood clots can form in the neoplasm. Its location is most often in the neck and head.
Often occurs even in the intrauterine life of the fetus, as abnormal development of blood vessels and the circulatory system occurs.
Causes of cavernous hemangioma
Provoking factors:
- birth injury;
- premature fetus;
- bad habits (alcohol, smoking, drug addiction);
- past illnesses during pregnancy;
- ecology.
It has also been determined that this disease is not hereditary.
A growth can be dangerous if it is near the eyes, mouth, ear, or genitals.
When a tumor grows, itcan put pressure on neighboring organs and disrupt their work. For example, if a hemangioma in newborns on the face is located near the eye, then this can lead to blindness if not properly treated.
The next danger is traumatization of the tumor. This will lead to profuse bleeding. In old age, people most often have diabetes mellitus, and this, in turn, is dangerous for hemangioma by infection, and ulcers may appear on the skin.
When the tumor is located in the liver, the danger may lie in its rupture. This will cause internal bleeding, and in this condition the person may die.
Symptoms of disease:
- The tumor will grow into the deep layers, thereby causing an internal hemangioma in newborns.
- Its appearance has not clear boundaries and can occupy quite a large area.
- The color is red or burgundy, in rare cases with a purple tint.
- Bleeding may occur that is difficult to stop and there is a risk of wound infection.
Hemangioma in newborns on the head or any other part of the body is painless and the patient does not feel discomfort.
Diagnosis and treatment of cavernous hemangioma
When the first signs of this disease appear, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Based on the patient's complaints and symptoms, a good specialist makes a diagnosis.
In the future, the tumor is monitored, if it is actively growing, the doctor may prescribesurgery. But most often, the intervention is carried out if it disrupts the work of other organs and is large.
Treatment of hemangioma in newborns is mostly complex and is selected for each patient individually. The age of the patient and the degree of damage are taken into account.
In general, this is a serious disease that requires treatment, if ignored, there may be complications.
Combined hemangioma
Combined hemangioma is an acute manifestation of benign formations that are usually expressed on the epidermis or tissues of internal organs. Unlike a simple hemangioma, a combined one is a combination of it with a cavernous one, that is, a rash of bright red tumors both on the skin and under it. The disease is becoming an increasingly common ailment for young children, with an average of one in ten babies experiencing this problem. Such a hemangioma in newborns grows quite quickly and requires consultation with a specialist.
The causes of combined hemangioma have not been precisely established, but there is a connection with the course and transmission of acute respiratory diseases.
Methods of treating hemangioma in newborns can be divided into two groups - surgical and therapeutic.
The first includes various types of operations - laser removal, irradiation, elimination of the focus with electricity.
The second is medication and vaccinations.
The treatment method is always individual,consultation of an experienced specialist is necessary. Most often, hormone therapy brings results.
Treatment with corticosteroids is also effective, either by injection directly into the tumor site or by mouth.
Diagnosis of hemangioma
Hemangioma in newborns on the head or other part of the body is a benign tumor that can be located not only on the skin, but also on the surface of the internal organs or inside them. If a hemangioma is suspected, it is imperative to consult a surgeon. The doctor will conduct a visual examination, ask questions about when the tumor appeared, how much it has changed since the onset (hemangiomas quickly increase in size). Specialist consultations may be scheduled to confirm the diagnosis or identify additional associated characteristics of the neoplasm.
So, if you suspect the degeneration of a neoplasm into a malignant tumor, an oncologist's consultation will be scheduled. You may need the conclusion of a dermatologist and an infectious disease specialist. To diagnose hemangioma, ultrasound, computed tomography, MRI, as well as thermometry and thermography methods are used.
The MRI remains the most accurate method of investigation. During its implementation, the structure of the hemangioma is studied, as well as the condition of the tissues around it.
For laboratory tests, blood sampling for general analysis will be required.
Complications of hemangioma
Complications of hemangioma:
- Ulceration - the formation of an ulcer.
- Phlebitis disease, which is characterized by inflammation of the veins and its walls, as the permeability of the wall changes.
- External bleeding.
- Internal bleeding.
- Thrombocytopenia is a condition characterized by a decrease in the number of platelets.
- Accession of an infection (secondary infection), characterized by an inflammation process due to the entry into the body of a completely different bacterium, for example, staphylococcus aureus.
- Decreased organ functions.
Hemangioma treatment
The possibility of treating hemangioma and the treatment plan can only be discussed after consultation with the surgeon.
It is advisable to get an appointment with an oncologist to obtain the necessary conclusions. Hemangioma belongs to the group of childhood diseases, as it manifests itself in the first days and weeks of a child's life. Hemangioma can be diagnosed in a newborn. This type of tumor remains unexplored to this day, so there is no single algorithm for behavior and treatment.
There is a certain percentage of cases when the hemangioma regressed and completely disappeared on its own, without visible external factors and influences. In any case, each parent decides for himself how to deal with this disease, remove, treat or wait for the tumor to disappear by itself. There are a number of treatments for hemangioma, with varying degrees of success.
If the germination of the hemangioma inside the tissues is detected, a sclerotherapy method will be prescribed.
A special composition is introduced into the body of the hemangioma and blocks the growth and vital activity of blood vessels. Under the influence of the drug, the tumor loses the ability to regenerate. Within a few weeks, the hemangioma will decrease in size until it disappears completely.
During laser treatment, hemangioma vessels stick together, losing the ability to function. After that, the neoplasm disappears without leaving traces. This procedure is painless and has no age restrictions. This method of treatment is also good because it makes it possible to remove hemangioma in the most inaccessible places.
Until recently, the method of radiation therapy was widely used. However, it is now considered obsolete and unpopular. Since certain doses of radiation are used, there is a high probability of side effects and damage to the skin. In addition, in most cases, the hemangioma will not be completely removed.
There is a method of hormone therapy, but the use is acceptable in emergency cases, if the tumor is located near vital organs. Tablets and hormonal ointments are used. But this method does not always work.
Surgical intervention gives good results in the fight against the tumor. But there is a risk of severe bleeding. In addition, for children under one year old, it is carried out under general anesthesia.
