Involution of a Large Parotid Hemangioma with Oral Propranolol: An Illustrative Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Propranolol has emerged as a new treatment option for infantile hemangiomas. We describe a 20-month-old boy with a large right parotid hemangioma diagnosed at the age of 37 days. Starting at the age of 2.5 months, he received oral propranolol for 6.5 months. Although the mass regressed, it recurred when propranolol was discontinued. He was successfully retreated at the age of 11 months with propranolol for another 5.5 months without further recurrences. Treatment was tolerated well. Our paper and a review of the literature demonstrate that propranolol appears to be safe and effective for symptomatic infantile parotid gland hemangiomas.

Use of propranolol for parotid hemangioma

“…There have been many reports of the efficacy and safety of propranolol for the treatment of infantile hemangioma. However, there are few specific articles concerning propranolol treatment for parotid hemangioma, and the total number of such patients is limited.…”

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of topical timolol maleate combined with oral propranolol treatment for parotid mixed infantile hemangiomas

“…Infantile parotid proliferating hemangiomas, which are the most common parotid tumors, occurred around 1 year after birth, accounting for >50% parotid gland tumors in infants ( 11 ). Hemorrhage, ulceration, infection and external auditory canal compression are the main complications of the tumor.…”

“…In 2008, Léauté-Labrèze et al first reported the use propranolol for the treatment of IH, and achieved good results ( 22 ). This study soon attracted the attention of scholars from all over the world, which triggered a series of associated studies on propranolol in the treatment of IH ( 8 , 11 , 22 , 23 ). Propranolol is a non-selective β-adrenergic antagonist, whose treatment effect on IH is verified.…”

Oral Propranolol Combined with Topical Timolol Maleate for the Treatment of Compound Infantile Hemangioma in Parotid Region

“…Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) is the most common benign tumor of parotid tumor in children, which is composed of proliferating endothelial cells. The typical clinical characteristic is rapid proliferation within one year after birth and slowly subsiding later [1][2][3] . According to the classification of hemangiomas by Warner and Suen, the hemangioma is usually divided into 3 basic subtypes, including superficial hemangioma, deep hemangioam and compound hemangioma 4) .…”