Propranolol as an effective therapy for infantile haemangioma of the urinary bladder

Infantile haemangiomas are one of the most common tumours in infancy, but typically present as cutaneous lesions; haemangiomas of the urinary bladder are incredibly rare. Although benign, these can sometimes ulcerate and bleed, causing haematuria in the case of bladder lesions. Propranolol is a well-documented medical therapy for cutaneous lesions, but surgical treatment dominates the literature on bladder haemangiomas. We present the case of a child with infantile haemangiomas of the urinary bladder, as well as internal and cutaneous lesions, treated with propranolol. At 6-week follow-up cystoscopy and MRI, there was a significant improvement in both bladder and internal lesions, respectively. Follow-up with dermatology 9 months after initiation of propranolol demonstrated excellent regression of the cutaneous lesions with a marked decrease in both size and prominence. This case demonstrates the potential role of propranolol in the treatment of bladder haemangiomas in lieu of more invasive surgical techniques.

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