The importance of early diagnosis and treatment of kaposiform hemangioendothelioma complicated by Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon

Abstract

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a locally aggressive vascular tumor that may be complicated by Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP), a profound thrombocytopenia resulting from platelet trapping within a vascular tumor, either KHE or tufted angioma (TA). Typical features also include low fibrinogen and elevated D-dimers. It is well known that KMP is not caused by infantile hemangiomas. Management of vascular tumors complicated by KMP is challenging, and it is common for referral centers to receive patients in critical medical condition after multimodality treatment failure of vascular anomalies. Our aim is to communicate the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of KHE associated with KMP. A full-term male newborn with KHE complicated by KMP is reported. Treatment with vincristine, aspirin and ticlopidine normalized the coagulation parameters within one week, requiring a total of six doses of vincristine, seven months of ticlopidine and 17 months of aspirin. Early diagnosis and treatment of KHE complicated by KMP may allow the administration of fewer doses of vincristine and avoid the use of corticosteroids.