Treatment of infantile hemangiomas before and after ... - Springer Link

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Dec 28, 2013 - Abstract. Background Propranolol was introduced as systemic pharma- cotherapy for problematic hemangiomas in 2008 and is now.
Eur J Plast Surg (2014) 37:195–200 DOI 10.1007/s00238-013-0919-z

ORIGINAL PAPER

Treatment of infantile hemangiomas before and after the introduction of propranolol: a retrospective study Jes Christian Rødgaard & Thomas Foged & Jesper Vandborg Bjerre & Tine Engberg Damsgaard

Received: 7 October 2013 / Accepted: 10 December 2013 / Published online: 28 December 2013 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Abstract Background Propranolol was introduced as systemic pharmacotherapy for problematic hemangiomas in 2008 and is now considered superior to corticosteroid. Other available treatment modalities include surgery and laser therapy. In November 2008, the first patient was treated with propranolol at The Center for Vascular Anomalies, Aarhus University Hospital. The aim of this study was to compare the treatment modalities applied before and after the actual date. Methods The present study was a retrospective study of patients treated for hemangioma between 1995 and 2012 at the University Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark. Outcome measures of interest included age at referral, the extent of evaluation by different specialties, and the treatments administered. Results One hundred twenty-one patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups, patients treated before (study period 1) and after (study period 2) November 2008, respectively. In study period 2, patients were referred earlier for evaluation (0.82 versus 1.91 years, p=0.011). Fewer patients were seen by plastic surgeons in study period 2 (63.9 versus 98.8 %, p