Giant subcutaneous infantile hemangioma: A case report

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common benign vascular tumors of infancy, affecting approximately 5–10% of infants, and occur more frequently in females. Although most infantile hemangiomas undergo spontaneous involution without requiring treatment, some may result in ulceration, bleeding, functional impairment, cosmetic deformity, and life-threatening complications depending on their size, depth, and anatomical location. Giant infantile hemangiomas are particularly uncommon and present significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, especially in resource-limited settings.
We report a rare case of a giant subcutaneous infantile hemangioma in a male infant who presented with a progressively enlarging truncal mass. Imaging with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) played a crucial role in defining the extent of the lesion and narrowing the differential diagnosis. Despite treatment with propranolol followed by vincristine because of poor response, the patient developed severe pneumonia with respiratory failure and subsequently died. This case highlights the importance of early recognition, appropriate imaging, multidisciplinary management, and close follow-up of infants presenting with extensive infantile hemangiomas.