Vascular Anomalies

Vascular anomalies are common pediatric lesions affecting approximately 5% of the population. Lesions are broadly classified into tumors and malformations. The most common tumors are infantile hemangioma, congenital hemangioma, pyogenic granuloma, and kaposiform hemangioendothelioma. The major malformations are capillary, lymphatic, venous, and arteriovenous. Almost all lesions can be diagnosed by the history and physical examination. Ultrasonography is usually the first-line imaging study to confirm a diagnosis. Management of vascular anomalies is based on the type of lesion. Treatments include resection, systemic pharmacotherapy, intralesional drugs, laser, sclerotherapy, and/or embolization. Most patients are best managed in an interdisciplinary vascular anomalies center. This review contains 9 figures, 2 tables and 29 references Key words: arteriovenous, capillary, congenital, hemangioma, kaposiform, lymphatic, malformation, pyogenic, vascular, venous