Andrea Diociaiuti, Claudia Carnevale, Eulalia Baselga Torres, Christine Léauté-Labrèze, Iria Neri, Roberta Rotunno, Lorenzo Figà-Talamanca, May El Hachem
DOI: 10.2340/00015555-3608

Infantile haemangiomas are very common benign tumours in the first months of life. They are mostly cutaneous; however, extracutaneous lesions are possible, and occur in very rare cases in the central nervous system. A European multicentre observational retrospective study was conducted in the last 5 years. Seven patients with intracranial or intraspinal infantile haemangiomas were selected and treated with oral propranolol. Propranolol was interrupted after complete or almost complete resolution of infantile haemangiomas. All patients tolerated the treatment well without side-effects. Central nervous system infantile haemangiomas are probably underestimated due to the frequent absence of symptoms and their spontaneous involution. However, they should be investigated in case of segmental cutaneous infantile haemangiomas, particularly on the head, neck, upper trunk, lumbar or sacral area in order to diagnosis intra-central nervous system involvement at an early stage.

Infantile haemangiomas are the most common tumour in infancy. They are frequently cutaneous; however, they have also been reported in the central nervous system in rare cases. Seven patients with intracranial or intraspinal infantile haemangiomas were selected and treated with oral propranolol, without side-effects. At the end of therapy a good response of both cutaneous and intra-central nervous system components was reported. Central nervous system infantile haemangiomas are rare, but it is important to consider them in the case of large or segmental cutaneous infantile haemangiomas, particularly those on the head, neck, lumbar/sacral area.