Capillary Hemangioma Medication
- Author: Stuart Seiff, MD, FACS; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD more...
Medication Summary
The goals of pharmacotherapy are to reduce morbidity and to prevent complications.
Corticosteroids
Class Summary
Have anti-inflammatory properties and cause profound and varied metabolic effects. Corticosteroids modify the body's immune response to diverse stimuli.
Prednisone (Deltasone)
Decreases inflammation by stabilizing lysosomal membranes, inhibiting PMN and mast cell degranulation, and decreasing capillary vasoconstriction.
Clobetasol propionate 0.05% (Temovate)
Decreases inflammation by stabilizing lysosomal membranes, inhibiting PMN and mast cell degranulation. Class I superpotent topical steroid; suppresses mitosis and increases synthesis of proteins that decrease inflammation and cause vasoconstriction.
Betamethasone (Celestone)
Decreases inflammation by suppressing migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and reversing increased capillary permeability.
Triamcinolone (Kenalog)
Treats inflammatory dermatosis that is responsive to steroids. Decreases inflammation by suppressing the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and reversing capillary permeability.
Beta-adrenergic Blocker
Class Summary
The adrenergic system is the major regulator of cardiac and vascular function.
Propranolol (Inderal)
Nonselective beta-adrenergic blocker. Its mechanism of action in shrinking hemangiomas remains unknown. Beta-2 adrenergic receptors are present on endothelial cells of hemangiomas.
Haik BG, Karcioglu ZA, Gordon RA, et al. Capillary hemangioma (infantile periocular hemangioma). Surv Ophthalmol. Mar-Apr 1994;38(5):399-426. [Medline].
Rosca TI, Pop MI, Curca M, et al. Vascular tumors in the orbit--capillary and cavernous hemangiomas. Ann Diagn Pathol. Feb 2006;10(1):13-19. [Medline].
Kavanagh EC, Heran MK, Peleg A, et al. Imaging of the natural history of an orbital capillary hemangioma. Orbit. Mar 2006;25(1):69-72. [Medline].
Weiss AH, Kelly JP. Reappraisal of astigmatism induced by periocular capillary hemangioma and treatment with intralesional corticosteroid injection. Ophthalmology. Feb 2008;115(2):390-397.e1. [Medline].
Goggin M. Astigmatism and periocular hemangioma. Ophthalmology. Oct 2008;115(10):1854-5; author reply 1855. [Medline].
Wittenberg L, Ma P. Treatment of a von Hippel-Lindau retinal capillary hemangioma with photodynamic therapy. Can J Ophthalmol. Oct 2008;43(5):605-6. [Medline].
Assaf A, Nasr A, Johnson T. Corticosteroids in the management of adnexal hemangiomas in infancy and childhood. Ann Ophthalmol. Jan 1992;24(1):12-8. [Medline].
Boon LM, MacDonald DM, Mulliken JB. Complications of systemic corticosteroid therapy for problematic hemangioma. Plast Reconstr Surg. Nov 1999;104(6):1616-23. [Medline].
Cruz OA, Zarnegar SR, Myers SE. Treatment of periocular capillary hemangioma with topical clobetasol propionate. Ophthalmology. Dec 1995;102(12):2012-5. [Medline].
Elsas FJ, Lewis AR. Topical treatment of periocular capillary hemangioma. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. May-Jun 1994;31(3):153-6. [Medline].
Kushner BJ. Intralesional corticosteroid injection for infantile adnexal hemangioma. Am J Ophthalmol. Apr 1982;93(4):496-506. [Medline].
O'Keefe M, Lanigan B, Byrne SA. Capillary haemangioma of the eyelids and orbit: a clinical review of the safety and efficacy of intralesional steroid. Acta Ophthalmol Scand. Jun 2003;81(3):294-8. [Medline].
Friling R, Axer-Siegel R, Ben-Amitai D, et al. Intralesional and sub-Tenon's infusion of corticosteroids for treatment of refractory periorbital and orbital capillary haemangioma. Eye. Nov 7 2008;[Medline].
Shorr N, Seiff SR. Central retinal artery occlusion associated with periocular corticosteroid injection for juvenile hemangioma. Ophthalmic Surg. Apr 1986;17(4):229-31. [Medline].
Weiss AH. Adrenal suppression after corticosteroid injection of periocular hemangiomas. Am J Ophthalmol. May 15 1989;107(5):518-22. [Medline].
Deboer MD, Boston BA. Failure-to-thrive in an infant following injection of capillary hemangioma with triamcinolone acetonide. Clin Pediatr (Phila). Apr 2008;47(3):296-9. [Medline].
Barlow CF, Priebe CJ, Mulliken JB, et al. Spastic diplegia as a complication of interferon Alfa-2a treatment of hemangiomas of infancy. J Pediatr. Mar 1998;132(3 Pt 1):527-30. [Medline].
Al Dhaybi R, Superstein R, Milet A, Powell J, Dubois J, McCuaig C, et al. Treatment of periocular infantile hemangiomas with propranolol: case series of 18 children. Ophthalmology. Jun 2011;118(6):1184-8. [Medline].
Missoi TG, Lueder GT, Gilbertson K, Bayliss SJ. Oral propranolol for treatment of periocular infantile hemangiomas. Arch Ophthalmol. Jul 2011;129(7):899-903. [Medline].
Fridman G, Grieser E, Hill R, Khuddus N, Bersani T, Slonim C. Propranolol for the treatment of orbital infantile hemangiomas. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. May-Jun 2011;27(3):190-4. [Medline].
Deans RM, Harris GJ, Kivlin JD. Surgical dissection of capillary hemangiomas. An alternative to intralesional corticosteroids. Arch Ophthalmol. Dec 1992;110(12):1743-7. [Medline].
Slaughter K, Sullivan T, Boulton J, et al. Early surgical intervention as definitive treatment for ocular adnexal capillary haemangioma. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. Oct 2003;31(5):418-23. [Medline].

