Spontaneous resolution of iris and cutaneous haemangiomata in diffuse neonatal haemangiomatosis

Don't it make my blue eyes brown: heterochromia and other abnormalities of the iris

Eye colour is one of the most important characteristics in determining facial appearance. In this paper I shall discuss the anatomy and genetics of normal eye colour, together with a wide and diverse range of conditions that may produce an alteration in normal iris pigmentation or form.

Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis presenting as bilateral iris hemangiomas in an infant

PURPOSE

To describe a case of diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis presenting as bilateral iris hemangiomas.

METHOD

Case report.

PATIENT

A 2-month-old girl presented with bilateral enlarging red masses of her irises, congestive heart failure, and abdominal distension. The iris masses were diagnosed as hemangiomas, and she was found to have diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis also involving her skin, liver, heart, and cerebellum.

RESULTS

The patient's systemic hemangiomas were successfully treated with four cycles of weekly intravenous vincristine (0.05 mg/kg/dose) with concurrent resolution of her right iris hemangioma within 6 weeks. The left iris lesion then regressed within 1 month following 1 subTenon injection of 20 mg of triamcinolone acetonide with residual iridocorneal adhesions at the site.

CONCLUSION

Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis should be considered in the setting of bilateral iris hemangiomas. Also, this case demonstrates that iris hemangiomas associated with diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis may respond to systemic vincristine, and that periocular steroids may be useful for treating iris hemangiomas that are unresponsive to systemic vincristine alone.