NON INVOLUTING CAVERNOUS HEMANGIOMA OF BUCCAL MUCOSA: A REPORT OF TWO CASES

Hemangioma is a benign vascular abnormality characterized by rapid growth of endothelial cells. It arises during first 8 weeks of life, rapidly proliferates during 6-12 months of life and gradually involutes by 9-12 years. Hemangiomas occur more in females with male to female ratio being 1:3 to 1:5. Almost 80 to 90% of hemangiomas involute completely by the age of 9 years. The remaining 10-20 % involute incompletely and require post adolescent ablative treatment or other modes of management. 50-60% of hemangiomas occur in head and neck region. Lips, buccal mucosa and tongue are the most common sites of involvement intra orally. Here, we report 2 cases of non involuting type of hemangioma located on buccal mucosa which were diagnosed histopathologically as cavernous hemangioma. Radiotherapy, cryotherapy, laser therapy, injection of sclerosing agent, selective embolisation are the various treatment modalities currently available for managing hemangiomas. Considering the location, size, accessibility and nature of lesion, surgical excision is the treatment of choice for smaller lesions.