Combined oral propranolol with intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide in treatment of infantile periocular hemangiomas

AIM: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of combined oral propranolol with intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of infantile periorbital capillary hemangioma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective interventional study included children diagnosed with periocular infantile hemangiomas in the proliferative phase with vision-threatening lesions. The children presented to the oculoplastic unit in Sohag University Hospital in the period between January 2016 and February 2017 and were treated with a combined intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide with oral propranolol, with a follow-up period of 6 months. Treatment response was evaluated according to the size of the tumor (horizontal diameter); additionally, complications of both treatment methods were recorded. RESULTS: This study included 33 infants: 21 females (64%) and 12 males (36%). The mean age at the time of injection was 4.9±2.6 months. The study included three modes of treatment response: regression of the tumor, 28 patients (85%); stabilization, three patients (9%); and failure, two patients (6%), which necessitated repeated intralesional injection of triamcinolone but with minimal response. Regarding complications, only one patient reported with subconjunctival hemorrhage during intralesional injection of steroids; there were no recorded cases of hypotension, bradycardia, or hypoglycemia during the course of oral propranolol treatment. After the end of the follow-up period, there were no reported cases of recurrent increase in the size of the regressed group of infantile hemangiomas with stable tumor size. CONCLUSION: Combined oral propranolol with intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide is the effective method of treatment for infantile periorbital capillary hemangioma with minimal adverse effects.