Sclerosing therapy with bleomycin emulsion for lymphangioma in children

Abstract

Forty-seven children with lymphangioma were treated by sclerosing therapy with bleomycin (BLM) emulsion between may 1976 and March 1988. Injection of 0.3 to 0.6 mg/kg body weight BLM emulsion into the cavity was repeated at intervals of 4 to 6 weeks. The lymphangioma regressed in 41 (87%) and almost disappeared in 20 (43%). The response was greater when the lymphangioma was cystic rather than cavernous. In the cases that responded, the total injected dose was 0.6 to 4 mg/kg. This therapy proved to be dangerous for large cervicomediastinal lymphangiomas in young infants because the cystic mass enlarged transiently after local injection and airway compression resulted. Pulmonary fibrosis was not observed. There was no recurrence of the residual induration after BLM emulsion therapy. Antenatal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging have been shown to be useful diagnostic aids.