Pulmonary Infantile Hemangioma Presenting as a Mass in a Premature Male Infant: A Case Report Focusing on Pathological Features

Abstract

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common benign neoplasm of infancy, with most occurring in the head and neck region. Predisposing factors include prematurity, low birth weight, multiple gestations, advanced maternal age, and chorionic villous sampling. In addition, white women, particularly those with a family history, are also at a higher risk. However, pulmonary infantile hemangiomas are exceedingly rare, with only a few case reports in the literature. Infantile hemangiomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a pulmonary mass in the early pediatric population. We present a case of pulmonary infantile hemangioma in a premature male infant successfully managed by surgical excision, with an emphasis on the pathogenesis and histologic features.

Pulmonary Infantile Hemangioma Mimicking a Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation

“…Lung involvement is extremely rare: only 4 previous cases with GLUT-1 positive staining have been reported to date (Table 1). [2][3][4][5] Cases without GLUT-1 immunostaining were excluded from this review.…”

“…Among these 4 cases, 3 children presented with associated malformations, such as cardiac or genital malformations, 3,4 and 1 in the setting of trisomy 13. 5 Our patient presented with cardiac and renal malformations.…”

“…It is also noticeable that gestational diabetes occurred in 2 cases of lung IH including ours 2 and preeclampsia/hypertension in 2 other cases. 4,5 Placental abnormalities such as placenta praevia and preeclampsia are frequently reported in IH cases. 14 Prematurity, multiple gestation, and advanced maternal age are also considered as predisposing factors of IH.…”

“…Moreover, extra cutaneous locations, especially pulmonary IH are extremely rare, with only a few cases reported in the literature. [2][3][4][5][6] We report here a case of pulmonary IH associated with congenital heart defect and renal malformation in a young boy.…”

Multiple pulmonary infantile hemangiomas responsive to oral propranolol

“…Pulmonary IHs in the absence of skin lesions have been very rarely described (Table 1). [2][3][4][5][6][7] They usually appear as solid masses, solitary, or multiple, but may have a pseudocystic appearance. 7 Lesions may be asymptomatic or present as respiratory distress, dyspnea, stridor, or cough.…”