Intraosseous hemangiomas of the facial bone

Background: Hemangiomas arising in the soft tissue are common in the head and neck region, but intraosseous hemangiomas of the facial bone are rare. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective study investigating the clinical features, management, and outcomes for seven patients with facial bone hemangiomas. Results: Three of the hemangiomas arose in the orbital bones, two arose in the mandible, one arose in the frontal bone, and one arose in the zygoma. The mean follow-up was 3 years 9 months. During the first operation, total tumor resection was performed for two symptomatic patients, and partial resection with superficial osteotomy was performed for the remaining five individuals with facial contour deformity. Three patients who underwent partial resection achieved long-term aesthetically satisfactory results without recurrence; the other two developed recurrent tumors and underwent subsequent en bloc resection. No evidence of recurrence was observed in cases where primary or secondary complete tumor resections were performed. Conclusions: Although complete tumor resection represents a definitive treatment for facial bone hemangiomas, conservative partial resection offers a simple method of restoring facial contour with minimal side effects. Although it appears that recurrence cannot be avoided entirely, partial resection should be considered for patients who seek surgery for cosmetic reasons.