A Doctor's Journey

A Doctor’s Journey
February 22, 2009
The Hemangioma Treatment Foundation
We Care. We Cure.

Dr. Hochman is founder of The Hemangioma Treatment Foundation

By Glenda Ethington for Birthmarks.com 

When Marcelo Hochman’s oldest son was born with a hemangioma of the chest in 1990, he went looking for answers. Like so many parents, he was searching for treatment, but the attitude of the medical community was to just leave it alone – it will go away on it’s own. As a parent this was unacceptable, but as a doctor it sparked his interest in vascular lesions. 

Fifteen years later, the parent and doctor has forged ahead. While many physicians still feel the best “cure” for most hemangiomas and vascular lesions is to “leave it alone”, Dr. Hochman has helped to advance the treatment and surgical removal of these birthmarks. Most physicians feel that the possibility of complications, like excessive bleeding with hemangiomas and other vascular malformations, makes it impossible to surgically remove them. However, Dr. Hochman and a handful of surgeons have pioneered techniques that now make it possible to operate on certain lesions while minimizing the risks. The results of the surgery can be very dramatic and life altering for children who have disfiguring and sometimes life-threatening malformations. 

Dr. Hochman established a private practice in Charleston, South Carolina. As he began to see more patients with various disfigurements, he began to see that the emotional impact of birthmarks could be just as disfiguring as the lesion itself. As children grow and become more aware of the world around them, they also become more aware of the reactions people have to their birthmark, effecting self-esteem. 

He was also finding that many patients are unable to receive much needed treatment, due to a variety of factors. Often treatment is considered cosmetic in nature, and not covered by insurance. Doctors qualified to perform surgery on these lesions are scarce, and sometimes the families have to travel great distances to see these doctors. To help alleviate the financial burden and stresses associated with traveling to a strange city or country with children, Dr. Hochman has visited many foreign countries to offer his services and expertise to those who need it most. 

 It became increasingly apparent that patients and families needed the help of an organized foundation to arrange for payment and the facilitation and coordination of travel, lodging, and moral support - as well as medical expenses. Dr. Hochman’s desire to bring about compassion, education, assistance and support for patients with vascular birthmarks manifested in The Hemangioma Treatment Foundation (THTF). “Through time and experience I saw more and more patients,” he said. “In order to make a bigger difference I decided to start the foundation.” 

Also, the education of other physicians, as well as the public-at-large, became a priority. As stated in the “Vision” section at the THTF website, “…Conferences and publications will change the way this medical material is taught to generations of physicians at the medical school level and beyond. The impact on medical education will be invaluable and will over the long term change the way these birthmarks are treated.” 

The slogan for THTF says it all – “We Care. We Cure.” Increasingly many doctors are coming to understand the lasting impact the growth of these lesions can have on children. In many cases, as the lesion grows, the skin stretches to accommodate the expansion. When a large hemangioma is left to involute on its own, it can leave behind stretched or scarred skin, prompting the need for corrective surgery. As mentioned earlier, some of these surgeries are still considered to be of a cosmetic nature. Early treatment can most often eliminate the necessity for these types of corrective surgeries later in life. Also, there are some types of lesions that can grow very large and divert blood supply to feed the growth, causing a strain on the heart or other vital organs. These can present with life-threatening conditions. 

Such was the case for a baby known only as “Tabby”. In the midst of the war in Iraq, a father was desperate to save the life of his baby girl. He took his daughter to Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad and implored the U.S. Marines 4th Civil Affairs Group to help. She had life-threatening and disfiguring hemangiomas. In the true spirit of a hero, Dr. Hochman came to the aid of the U.S. Marines and Tabby. He and his foundation made it possible for Tabby to be flown to the United States, where he performed a series of surgeries to remove the growth. 

Dr. Hochman also came to the aid of a young boy named Batuhan, in Istanbul, Turkey. Batuhan had a massive facial hemangioma. It was so large that it was virtually impossible to see the eye and mouth on the right side of his face. Thanks to Dr. Hochman and THTF, he was able to make the necessary trips from Turkey to South Carolina to receive treatment. The results of his surgeries are considered miraculous, giving Batuhan the chance to look normal and bestowing the title of “Miracle Maker” on Dr. Hochman. 

Stories like those of Tabby and Batuhan are known to countless parents. At least 400,000 children born each year are affected with these potentially dangerous and disfiguring birthmarks.

And as a parent of one of these children, Dr. Hochman speaks from personal experience when he says, “If it was your child you would care.” 

To learn more about The Hemangioma Treatment Foundation, please visit the website at: http://www.HemangiomaTreatment.org.

To learn more about the International Hemangioma website, visit:
http://www.HemangiomaTreatment.com.

You can also visit the website for Dr. Hochman’s private practice, The Facial Surgery Center, at: http://www.facialsurgerycenter.com/.