Types and Treatments of Vascular Malformations

Types and Treatments of Vascular Malformations

Jason Fortman

Northwest State Community College

Abstract

Vascular malformations (VMs) are an abnormal cluster of blood vessels occurring during fetal development. Not present at birth, they may not be visible weeks or even years after birth. They will usually grow in proportion to the child’s growth. Although they can grow rapidly, their growth is steady during the first year of life. If no treatment is taken they will not just disappear and diminish. There are 5 different types of vascular malformations all with varying degrees of severity. Categorized also by fast flow and slow flow which refers to rapidity of blood flowing through the lesion. There are three ways to detect vascular malformations: MRI, ultrasonography, and angiograms. Management for VM’s can vary depending on type, depth, and location. Management can include supportive treatments, laser surgery, surgical removal, and sclerotherapy.

Types and Treatments of Vascular Malformations

Vascular Malformations (VMs) are vascular lesions that are usually benign and are often mistaken for hemangiomas. Always present at birth they may not be visible for days, weeks, months and evens years later. VMs are more common in females than males and there is no difference in occurrence between males and females. “One in ten children suffers from vascular anomalies.”(novanews.org) Vascular Malformations are different than hemangiomas in that vascular malformations do not have a one or two year growth cycle and then a long regression cycle. Vascular Malformations grow slowly and steadily throughout life and never suddenly regress. This how hemangiomas and vascular malformations are most often distinguished from each other. Adults can have scars from an involuted hemangioma from childhood they do not experience growth from a new hemangioma unlike a vascular malformation. Without treatment, a vascular malformation will not diminish or disappear. There are several...