BACKGROUND: Hemangiomas are benign proliferations of endothelial tissue. They are the most common tumors of childhood and the majority has typical presentation and growth patterns. OBJECTIVES: To report the experience of the Outpatients Clinic of Pediatric Dermatology of the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo regarding presentation, progression and treatment of hemangiomas in childhood and to correlate them with literature data. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 40 cases of hemangioma seen between March 1994 and November 2004, through analysis of medical and photographic records. RESULTS: There was a predominance of females - 3:1 - and white patients (75%). Hemangiomas were present at birth in 77% of patients. In 85% of cases, the lesions were single and the majority was located in the head and neck (57%). The conservative management was adopted in most cases and the follow-up of patients showed involution of lesions started before 12 months of age in 65% of cases. The complete resolution occurred up to 3 years of age in 50% of patients, up to 6 years in 58%, up to 9 years in 83%, and up to 11 years in 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Our cases are similar to those in the international literature in terms of gender and ethnicity, number and location of hemangiomas, although we have a higher percentage of lesions seen at birth.
Clinical evolution; Epidemiologic studies; Hemangioma
