Infantile Hemangioma: Clinical Characteristics and Efficacy of Treatment with the Long-Pulsed 1,064-nm Neodymium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser in 794 Chinese Patients.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of infantile hemangiomas ( IHs) and the safety and efficacy of the long-pulse 1,064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser for definitive treatment of IHs in 794 Chinese patients. Methods Infants with hemangiomas who had received long-pulse 1,064-nm Nd: YAG laser treatment in our department in the last 5 years were recruited. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded and outcomes of long-pulse 1,064-nm Nd: YAG laser treatment were assessed. Statistical analyses were performed to identify factors that affected the efficacy of treatment. Results The efficacy of long-pulse 1,064-nm Nd: YAG laser for the treatment of IHs in all patients in our study was 87.57%. Efficacy did not depend on sex or the location of the lesion. Older age and superficial hemangioma were the primary factors contributing to greater efficacy of long-pulse 1,064-nm Nd: YAG laser treatment for IHs. The most common side effects were pigment changes, skin atrophy, and wrinkled redundant skin, which usually resolved spontaneously within 1 to 3 years. Conclusions Long-pulse 1,064-nm Nd: YAG laser is a safe and efficacious treatment for IHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]