Cryotherapy of subglottic hemangioma

The natural history of the hemangioma is spontaneous regression; therefore, most lesions require no treatment. The large occlusive subglottic hemangioma which presents before the age of 6 months, however, may be life-threatening. Two infants with subglottic hemangiomas with complete upper airway obstruction were treated successfully with cryotherapy, after tracheostomy. In each case the cryoprobe was placed transbronchoscopically on the subglottic hemangioma at -80 degrees C. for 30 to 45 seconds, the freezing interval varying with the age of the patient. One infant is asymptomatic and has had the tracheostomy tube removed. The other infant, after successful cryosurgical treatment, died from an unrelated illness. The histopathology of the larynx 3 1/2 months after cryotherapy of the hemangioma showed tracheal reepithelialization, active regeneration of cartilage with maintenance of luminal diameter, minimal submucosal fibrosis, and minimal residual hemangioma. Cryotherapy for subglottic hemangiomas offers many advantages including hemostasis, controlled local surgical injury, subsequent rapid healing of tissues with minimal fibrosis, and preservation of lumen without stricture. Previous forms of therapy which have been supplanted include radiotherapy, injection of sclerosing substances, systemic steroids, and surgical excision. Carbon dioxide laser is an effective therapeutic modality that we reserve for selected smaller hemangiomatis lesions of the subglottic area.