Treatment of ulcerated haemangiomas with a non-coherent pulsed light source: Brief initial clinical report

Background: Ulceration is the most common complication of infantile haemangiomas and constitutes an authentic therapeutic challenge because of associated pain, infection, haemorrhage and subsequent scarring. Objective: To report our experience with an intense pulsed light (IPL) system in the treatment of ulcerated haemangiomas. Methods: Case 1: A 4-month-old girl, with haemangioma affecting the entire cutaneous surface of the left limb, developed four ulcerations on the inner aspect of this extremity. Two sessions with an IPL system using a triple pulse mode, a 570-nm lower cut-off filter and a fluence of 38 J/cm(2) were performed. Case 2: A 5-month-old girl with ulcerated labial haemangioma that previously failed to respond to intralesional corticoids was treated with an IPL system device. Three sessions using a triple pulse mode with a 570-nm lower cut-off filter and a fluence of 48 J/cm(2) were realized. Results: Good results were rapidly obtained after two and four sessions of IPL treatment, respectively. Pain was soon relieved and complete epithelization was obtained by between 1 and 2 months in both patients. Conclusion: Although our experience is rare, we believe that IPL devices may be an effective alternative treatment of ulcerated haemangiomas.