Efficacy of Tunable Dye Laser for the Treatment of Infantile Hemangiomas

Infantile Hemangiomas (IH) are the most common vascular tumor in infants. It is estimated that 4-5% of infants and up to 10% of non-Caucasian infants can present with IHs.^1-4 Hemangiomas can range from superficial, deep, or mixed with components of both deep and superficial layers. 

Current treatment guidelines include systemic propranolol, topical timolol, surgical excision, Tunable Dye Laser (TDL), intralesional steroid injections, or combination therapy.⁵

Although beta-blocker therapy is the current mainstay treatment of IHs, side effects such as fatigue, allergic reactions, bradycardia, hypoglycemia, dyspnea, and altered mood and sleep pattern have precluded parental consent to undergo systemic treatment.⁶

Laser therapy may offer an efficacious approach for the treatment of IHs without the risk of systemic effects and associated complications; however, no long-term data is available.7 The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical efficacy of TDL in the treatment of IHs.