Therapeutic efficacy of intralesional bleomycin injection for laryngopharyngeal haemangioma in adults

Abstract

Background: Head and neck haemangiomas in the pharynx and larynx are rare, and the injection of bleomycin is currently one of the effective treatments. However, data on the therapeutic efficacy of this treatment are scarce.Objectives: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of bleomycin injection in the treatment of laryngopharyngeal haemangioma in adults and determine factors affecting efficacy.Materials and Methods: The clinical data of 42 adult patients with laryngopharyngeal haemangioma treated by intralesional bleomycin injection were retrospectively analysed to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Two groups (haemangioma reduction <50% and haemangioma reduction ≥50%) were compared to analyse factors affecting efficacy.Results: Seventy-five injections were administered to 42 patients: 34 (34/42 81%) patients with a haemangioma reduction ≥50% and 8 (8/42 19%) with a haemangioma reduction <50%. There was no difference in age, sex, haemangioma shape or number of operations between the two groups, but there was a significant difference in the base area of the haemangioma.Conclusions and Significance: Intralesional bleomycin injection is effective for the treatment of laryngopharyngeal haemangioma in adults. The base area of the haemangioma affects the therapeutic efficacy.

Keywords: Bleomycin; haemangioma; injection; larynx; pharynx.